Tag Archives: Virginia

Other - Retail, Retail

Salem, VA – Storage room fire at Big Lots store doused by sprinkler system

On Saturday, the Salem Fire & EMS Department responded to a fire at the Big Lots retail store located at 1227 West Main Street. According to authorities, it happened at approximately 10:39 a.m.. The fire was contained to a storage room in the back of the building, however, the store did sustain some smoke damage.

Officials said the first units arrived within four minutes of receiving the call and found heavy smoke in the back of the structure. The majority of the fire had been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system. Crews were able to bring the fire under control within five minutes of arrival, officials said.

It took crews approximately 30 minutes to remove the smoke from the building. Approximately 17 personnel from the Salem Fire & EMS Department (Engine 1, Engine 2, Engine 3, Tower 1, Medic 802, Medic 803 & Command 1) responded to the call. The fire remains under investigation by the Salem Fire & EMS Fire Marshal’s Office, and there is no damage estimate at this time.

Apartment Building, Residential

Norfolk, VA – No injuries in off-campus apartment fire at Old Dominion University contained by sprinklers

A total of 198 people were displaced Monday after a fire at The District apartment complex near Old Dominion University. There were no injuries , Fire-Rescue spokesman Bill Tull said, but a section of the building where the fire took place was shut down for the night.

When firefighters got to the complex on 39th Street in midafternoon, Tull said, they encountered smoke on the fourth floor. He said a small pan of food had caught fire in one of the units, activating the sprinkler system. Water pooled on the fourth floor and flowed down into the lower floors, Tull said. It also reached the complex’s electrical system, and occupants were evacuated.

Firefighters were trying to mitigate water damage, and officials were evaluating the damage overall. The District also called in its electrical contractor.

Fire-Rescue personnel were helping residents retrieve personal items until enough security personnel could take over.

Jalen Ford, maintenance technician for The District, said residents were either being moved to vacant rooms in the complex or sent to the Marriott on ODU’s campus. Ford said he didn’t know when residents would be able to return to their rooms.

“It shouldn’t be days or weeks,” he said. “As soon as they get the water out, they’re just making sure everything electrical is working, there’s no water in the electrical systems, and just making sure all the residents are safe. So as soon as they get all the water out, everything should be back to normal.”

An ODU spokesman and officials at the Marriott declined to comment on the relocation efforts.

 

Veronica Lyell, a senior at ODU, said she lived next door to the fourth-floor unit where the fire occurred.

Apartment Building, Residential

Henrico, VA – Apartment kitchen fire extinguished by sprinkler system; No other apartments affected

Crews responded to a kitchen fire at an apartment complex in Henrico’s Northside. It happened around 4 p.m. in the 5500 block of Cliffbrook Circle, near Brook Road and I-95.  Officials say someone in the apartment was cooking at the time and left the stove briefly unattended. When she came back, the pan caught on fire and the sprinkler immediately went off, extinguishing the fire.

The fire was marked under control and was determined as “accidental in nature and caused by cooking in the kitchen.” The woman who was cooking was evaluated on scene but not taken to the hospital. Everyone who was in the apartment made it out ok and will be displaced for a short period of time. Two women are being assisted by the American Red Cross, according to fire officials.

No other apartments were affected in the fire.

Manufacturing Plant

Newport News, VA – Sprinkler system puts out fire at Continental manufacturing facility

A small fire at Continental in Newport News Wednesday caused about $30,000 in damage, an official said. Firefighter-medics responded to a report of the fire at the automotive parts manufacturer at 615 Bland Blvd. about 2:45 p.m., Battalion Chief Jerry Reed said at the scene. The company’s sprinkler system put out the fire by the time they arrived, Reed said. Fire crews stayed on scene to overhaul and assess the damage, he said. No injuries were reported.

Apartment Building, Residential

Appalachia, VA – Sprinkler system extinguishes fifth floor apartment fire

The Appalachia Fire Department responded to the apartment complex, located at 505 West Main Street, when a fire alarm sounded around 12:24 Saturday afternoon.  Fire Chief Robert Anderson Jr. says the fire started in an apartment on the fifth floor due to an occupant smoking while on oxygen. He tells us the sprinkler system activated and extinguished the fire.

Apartments from the fifth floor to the second floor suffered water and smoke damage. Those residents were evacuated to Appalachia High School gymnasium where they are being assisted by the Red Cross.  Anderson told us a contractor was on scene working to clean up the damages.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Triangle, VA – Townhouse fire put out by automatic sprinkler system; No injuries

On Sunday, November 22nd, at approximately 9:30 p.m., fire and rescue crews were dispatched to a townhouse fire located in the 4100 block of Potomac Highlands Circle in Triangle.

Upon arrival, fire and rescue units observed light smoke throughout the residence and activation of the sprinkler system that had suppressed and extinguished a fire within the garage area. PWL Firefighters searched for further extension; no further extension was found.  No injuries reported.

Preliminary damages are estimated at $2500; damages would have been considerably higher if not for activation of the sprinkler system which quickly controlled, contained and extinguished the fire.

According to the Fire Marshal’s Office, the area of origin was the garage; the cause improper disposal of charcoal bricks and has been determined accidental.

Prince William County Fire & Rescue Chief Kevin McGee would like to remind residents when disposing of fire pit/fireplace bricks/ashes keep these safety tips in mind:

In addition, Chief McGee would like to remind residents that smoke alarms save lives www.pwcgov.org/SmokeAlarms and when a home contains both working smoke alarms and a home fire-sprinkler system www.pwcgov.org/Sprinklers, you increase your chances of surviving a fire by 82%.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Purcellville, VA – Restaurant kitchen fire contained by automatic sprinkler system

A Purcellville restaurant sustained damage Monday after someone improperly disposed oil soaked rags. Firefighters arrived at the Rancho Mexican restaurant at 101 S. Maple St. on scene to find smoke coming from the front of the restaurant. Fire and rescue crew’s immediately located a fire in the kitchen area that was held in check by an automatic sprinkler system.

 Firefighters quickly brought hoselines into the restaurant to extinguish what fire remained. Simultaneously, fire and rescue units searched the adjoining occupancies for occupants and any extension of fire or smoke. After the fire was out, firefighters began salvage and overhaul operations to remove smoke and gases from the building.  There were no injuries to civilians, however, one firefighter suffered a minor hand injury.

 The improper disposal of oil soaked rags was determined to be the cause of two other recent fires, one in May and another in June, that caused over $2 million in damages. When oil and stain soaked rags are not disposed of properly they become a fire hazard due to their ability to spontaneously combust, according to Loudoun Fire and Rescue.

Apartment Building, Residential

Lynchburgh, VA – Overnight trash chute fire at apartment building is put out by sprinkler system

Everyone made it out safely after a fire broke out at Jefferson House Apartments in Lynchburg. It happened around midnight.  Officials say the fire started in a trash chute that connects all of the floors.  The fire was put out by the sprinkler system before crews got there.

About 30 people evacuated from the apartments, but were allowed back in around 2:30 a.m. on Thursday after each floor was cleared.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Hampton, VA – Early morning fire at InTown Suites Hotel controlled with help from sprinkler system; No injuires

Hampton firefighters battled a fire at a hotel on W. Mercury Blvd. early Friday morning. The hotel, which had at least 105 registered guests, was evacuated as a result of the fire. Crews found alternative accommodations at area hotels for the displaced guests, and even provided transportation for guests who were unable to drive themselves to the new location.

Friday afternoon, fire investigators determined the cause of the fire was unattended cooking in one of the rooms. Firefighters say the fire started on the second floor of the InTown Suites, and was contained to that area. The hotel guests were evacuated due to safety reasons. Dominion Power turned off power to the building as a safety measure and will determine when it is safe to turn it back on.

According to Asst. Fire Chief Maurice Wilson with the Hampton Fire Division, crews responded to the InTown Suites in the 2100 block of W. Mercury Blvd. around 3:30 a.m. after receiving notice of a fire alarm. “I opened the door it was just pure fire,” resident Eddie Rife said. “It was on fire and we couldn’t do anything about it so we just started getting everybody out.”

Eddie Rife said he ran from floor to floor with hotel workers trying to get people out. But, he found a woman in a wheel-chair other people forgot. “I ended up running into her room grabbing her putting her in her wheelchair,” he explained. “I tried to go down the elevator but it was too smokey and the elevator was out so I have to take her by the steps.”

Firefighters arrived to find the fire on the second floor in room 221. Wilson says the sprinkler system activated which helped firefighters bring the fire under control in about 10 minutes.

When the sprinkler system went off, it also leaked water into a few first floor rooms and caused smoke and water damage. Wilson says the hotel was evacuated and two people complained of smoke inhalation. Both were evaluated on the scene and didn’t go to the hospital.

According to Wilson, no one has claimed to be staying in the room where the fire started.

InTown Suites released this statement about the fire:

“ InTown Suites is aware of a small and isolated fire that occurred this morning in one of our rooms. Our fire suppression systems worked as designed and the fire was quickly extinguished.  According to Hampton fire officials, no persons required medical attention as a result of this incident. The safety of our guests is of utmost importance and we thank the Hampton Fire Department for their quick response.   We are working with authorities and local contractors to fully restore services and will continue to make as our guests as comfortable as possible while we resolve this issue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Office Building, Other Business

Richmond, VA – High-rise office fire put out by sprinkler system; No injuries

A fire inside the James Madison Building in downtown Richmond caused smoke but no reported injuries Thursday. Firefighters were called at 1:28 p.m. to the building at 109 Governor St., which houses the Virginia Department of Health, said Richmond fire Lt. Chris Armstrong. Hundreds of employees gathered outside after the building was evacuated.

Investigators determined the fire was accidental and the result of a malfunctioning microwave, Virginia State Police said in a news release. The fire started on the third floor, Armstrong said. The sprinkler system put out the fire, and crews were working to clean up the water, he said.

The building was closed Thursday and will remain closed today. The state hopes to reopen the building Tuesday, after Monday’s Columbus Day holiday.