Tag Archives: Virginia

Apartment Building, Residential

Roanoke, VA – Downtown apartment fire kept from spreading with help from sprinkler system

An apartment fire has been contained, according to the Roanoke Fire Department Thursday.  The call came in around 3:45 p.m. to the West Station Apartments in Downtown Roanoke.  Units were on scene for about an hour and crews say that the smoke damage mostly remained in one apartment where it started. Water damage from the sprinkler system affected the apartment adjacent, the rooms below, as well as the community room.  Crews are still determining what the cause of the fire was, but believe it to be accidental.

Apartment Building, Residential

Chesapeake, VA – Apartment fire caused by malfunctioning heater extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries

An apartment building in Chesapeake caught fire Sunday night. Firefighters were called to the 2800 block of Parkside Drive around 8:35 p.m., and arrived 6 minutes later. Smoke was coming from the two-story building. As fire crews entered the building they found that a fire in a first floor apartment unit had been extinguished by the building’s fire sprinkler system. Water from the sprinkler system caused damage to three adjoining units. Officials said the cause of the fire was from a malfunctioning heater located in the fire damaged apartment. No injuries and the Red Cross has been contacted to assist the displaced occupants.

Apartment Building, Residential

Norfolk, VA – Sprinkler system controls second floor apartment fire

One person was taken to the hospital and three residents were displaced after a fire at the Cromwell House Apartments.

On Monday morning, crews found a small fire on the second floor. The fire was controlled by a sprinkler head activation.

The person on the second floor was taken to the hospital. The extent of the person’s injuries is unknown.

Firefighters ventilated the smoke and sprinkler water from the building. One apartment has fire damage and two apartments have some water damage.

The Red Cross has been contacted to help the three people displaced.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Staunton, VA – Kitchen fire at assisted living center extinguished by sprinkler system

A fire at Brookdale Staunton caused a partial evacuation of the building Monday afternoon. The Christmas Day blaze came from a grease fire in the kitchen at the assisted living center, said Lt. Justin Siron, of Staunton Fire and Rescue. It occurred just after 2:30 p.m. Monday. There were no injuries from the incident. The fire was contained to just the pan, and the kitchen and dining area of the building were evacuated, per protocol, Siron said. The fire activated the building’s sprinkler system, which extinguished the fire.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Sterling, VA – Sprinkler system keeps overnight classroom fire at high school from spreading

A fire occurred overnight Sunday at Dominion High School and automatic sprinklers helped prevent it from escalating, according to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue.  Officials said the fire started at approximately 11:15 p.m. in a science classroom on the main floor of the school, with three activated automatic sprinklers keeping it in check before fire crews arrived to put out the remaining blaze with a portable extinguisher.  According to authorities, the fire caused minimal damage.  Despite the fire, Dominion remained open Monday for the start of the school week.  The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office has ruled that the fire, which originated in the science classroom, was accidental.

Apartment Building, Residential

Fairfax, VA – No injuries as sprinkler system contains fire at university apartments

Residents of an apartment building in the City of Fairfax have been displaced after a two-alarm fire.

Just before 11:00 a.m. Monday, the Fairfax City Fire Department, backed up by Fairfax County Fire crews, got called to the 4300 block of Bob Court at the Eaves Apartments.

City of Fairfax Fire Department Assistant Chief Andy Vita said, “Somebody on the outside of the building saw the smoke and fire, alerted 9-1-1, which allowed our folks to get here quickly.”

If a fire is going to happen, late morning is actually better because residents are less likely to be home, he said.

But in this case, the apartment complex near George Mason University is home to several college students and many were still asleep at the time.

“He didn’t even wake up. I had to wake him up,” said Peter Milonas, referring to his twin brother Chris.

The Milonas brothers live on the building’s first floor. They and their neighbors – in 12 different units – have now been forced to vacate their apartments due to fire damage or water damage.

“The fire activated the sprinkler system and it started to suppress it. So it kept it in check for our folks to be able to operate efficiently,” Vita said.

Vita added that everyone got out safely; no residents or firefighters were injured. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Abingdon, VA – Arson fire at townhome extinguished by sprinkler system

An Abingdon woman was arrested Monday morning for allegedly setting her daughter’s house on fire in September, according to the state fire marshal’s office.Just after 4 p.m. Sept. 15, Anna M. Stewart, 50, called 911 after reportedly discovering a fire on the second floor of her daughter’s house in the 200 block of Ferring Court in Abingdon, according to a notice of investigation from the fire marshal’s office.

Stewart, who lives in the basement of the house owned by her daughter and her husband, Ashley and Rafael Roman, was the only one home at the time of the fire, Deputy State Fire Marshal Oliver Alkire said Monday.

Firefighters from Abingdon and Joppa-Magnolia volunteer fire companies and surrounding departments arrived at the two-story, middle of the group townhouse and discovered a fire within a bedroom closet that was nearly extinguished after the homes’ fire sprinkler system activated.

Deputy State Fire Marshals were requested to conduct an investigation and determined the fire was intentionally set.

Investigators later discovered a second, self-extinguished fire within another closet within the home, according to the notice.

Investigators estimated the home sustained about $20,000 in damages.

After consulting with the Harford County States Attorney’s Office, deputy state fire marshals issued an arrest warrant for Stewart, who turned herself in Monday to the Bel Air Barrack of the Maryland State Police.

Stewart is charged with first- and second-degree arson, first- and second-degree malicious burning and vandalism more than $1,000.

Stewart is being held at Harford County Detention Center on $50,000 bail.

Apartment Building, Residential

Manassas, VA – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in controlling apartment fire

On Thursday, Oct. 19 at 10:24 a. m., fire and rescue units were dispatched to an apartment fire at Woodburn Apartments, located in the 7800 block of Keara Court in Manassas. Upon arrival, firefighters observed smoke and fire showing from the side of an apartment that had extended into the home. Upon entry, firefighters discovered an activated sprinkler head that helped contain the fire. Firefighters quickly suppressed and extinguished the fire. No injuries reported.  The occupants were not home at the time of the fire. Red Cross is currently assisting the family, six adults and eight children, displaced by the fire. The fire is currently under investigation by the Fire Marshal’s Office.

Apartment Building, Residential

Petersburg, VA – Laundry fire in loft apartment building extinguished by sprinkler system

A minor clothes dryer fire generated much smoke and caused the evacuation of an apartment building in Petersburg Thursday. Petersburg Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services responded to South Street Lofts building located at N. South and Hinton Streets at 12:38 p.m., for a call about a fire in a single occupant residence on the third floor, according to Interim Battalion Fire Chief Michael Ferguson.  The fire was under control at about 1 p.m. Mutual aid from Colonial Heights provided brief coverage at the Market Street Fire Station No. 2.

Nicole Nivens, a second-floor resident, stood in the parking lot holding her two-year-old daughter after evacuating the building.  “I just put her down for a nap and I heard the fire alarm,” said Nivens, who then grabbed her jacket, shoes and daughter to leave the building.

Ty Wheless, a resident of the third floor, also stood in the parking lot with her wife and small dog. “I thought it was a drill,” said Wheless. “We didn’t smell any smoke or anything.”

Ferguson said the building management company worked to relocate one occupant as a result of the fire.

Property management representatives at the scene declined to comment for this article. The property management website for the apartments describes the historic building as the former Federal Cigar Company building renovated into one- and two-bedroom loft-style apartments.

It was “extremely hard to ventilate” smoke from the building because the historic building designation allows for the windows to remain closed, said Ferguson. He said the ventilation process took longer than usual as a result. Firemen set up fans to blow smoke up through a roof hatch in the stairwell of the Hinton Street entryway.

Residents were seen re-entering the building at 1:47 p.m.

 

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Henrico, VA – Fire at cosmetics plant controlled with help from sprinkler system

The Henrico Fire Department responded to a two-alarm fire at a cosmetic plant in the 2300 block of Darbytown Road early Monday.  Dozens of firefighters were called to the scene at the Fareva plant at 4:21 a.m. Fire officials said the blaze appeared to have started from a piece of machinery in the rear of the warehouse.  Fire officials said the sprinkler system helped contain the fire, but did not put it out. Crews cut holes in the roof to allow for ventilation.

At 6 a.m., fire officials said the fire was out and that crews will remain on the scene for at least a couple of more hours.  Fareva specializes in make-up products. The blaze was not expected to cause any major disruptions to production at the facility.