Tag Archives: Washington

Apartment Building, Residential

Sprinklers douse apartment fire started by small child (Vancouver, WA)

An eight-year old child started a fire in the bedroom of an apartment on Monday evening while using a lighter. The unit’s fire sprinkler activated and put out the majority of the fire before fire crews arrived.

“Automatic fire sprinklers keep fires small,” Vancouver Fire Marshal Heidi Scarpelli said. “The (loss) potential was really great.”

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Sprinklers prove worth in nightclub fire set by arsonist (Seattle, WA)

A fire which began soon after midnight on New Year’s Day caused the Seattle Fire Department’s Ladder 10 to be called to the scene. The nightclub’s estimated 750 patrons were able to evacuate safely, and one of them used a fire extinguisher to put out some of the flames. The facility’s fire sprinkler system then completely put out the fire. The Seattle Police Department said that the cause of the fire was arson and the unknown perpetrator appeared to have poured gasoline on the carpeted stairway between the first and second level.

Residential, Single Family Home

Fire sprinklers prove worth in home fire (Woodinville, WA)

An automatic fire alarm activated just before 3 a.m. on November 3 at an unattended home. Firefighters arrived to the scene and found that the fire, which had started due to a burning candle, had been extinguished by the home’s fire sprinkler system. The development in which the house resided required fire sprinklers installed in each home. There were no injuries reported.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Fire extinguished by sprinkler system at condominium complex (Auburn, WA)

A fire was reported in a dryer in a condominium unit on the afternoon of Saturday, October 26. The condominium’s fire sprinkler system put out the fire, and no one was injured.

*** Blog Editor’s Note – Please let us know what you think of the coverage by the Auburn Reporter, which focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system ***

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at nightclub (Seattle, WA)

Firefighters were alerted to a fire at a nightclub at approximately 8:44 a.m. on Friday, April 18. When the fire crews entered the building, they found that the fire had been extinguished by the establishment’s fire sprinkler system. Investigators discovered a melted container that had been placed on an active stove top; the fire had then spread to boxes and garbage cans that were close to the stove. The fire sprinkler limited the fire to the kitchen area, and no injuries were reported. 

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Sprinkler system aids firefighters in assisted living facility fire (Seattle, WA)

Fire sprinklers are being credited for the safe evacuation of residents of an assisted living facility during a fire which began in the basement the morning of October 7. Firefighters arrived and were able to put out the remaining flames, which were centered around a clothes dryer, within four minutes of arriving to the scene. There were no injuries reported.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Damage minimized at hotel thanks to fire sprinkler system (SeaTac, WA)

Fire crews responded to a late night call to a fire at a hotel on September 5. They arrived to find smoke that filled the laundry room on the hotel’s first floor thanks to the fire sprinkler that had contained the fire. Occupants of the hotel were able to enter back into the hotel room soon after firefighters extinguished the remaining fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

High rise fire suppressed by sprinkler system, keeps fire from spreading (Bellevue, WA)

At 10:44 a.m. a fire was reported on the ninth floor of the Elements Too high-rise on the 900 block of 112th Avenue Northeast.  Firefighters arrived in three minutes, and made their way to the ninth floor. The building’s sprinkler system kept the fire from spreading to other units. The cause of the fire has been determined to be discarded smoking material into a wastebasket spreading to the mattress. No residents or firefighters were injured in the fire.