Tag Archives: Washington

Apartment Building, Residential

Woodland, WA – Fire sprinklers kept fire in check at apartment building; No injuries reported

Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue team members, as well as some Woodland residents, were very thankful for fire sprinklers Thursday morning.   

Just after midnight on Thanksgiving morning, a fire broke out in an occupied apartment building in the 1300 Block of Glenwood Street in Woodland. The fire started when an appliance was accidentally left on and overheated, causing a fire that spread to the cabinets below.  

Fire crews were notified of the fire by an automatic fire alarm tied to the fire sprinkler system.  A single fire sprinkler, ensuring minimal damage and no injuries or loss of life, quickly and automatically controlled the fire.  

This fire sprinkler kept the two occupants of the apartment where the fire occurred safe along with all of their neighbors in other units throughout the building.  There was very minor fire damage to a cabinet along with some minimal water damage that was limited to the first floor.   

Division Chief Mike Jackson of Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue said, “This situation would have been much worse had the building not been protected with fire sprinklers.  There likely would have been significantly more damage along with a greater risk of injury to the building occupants.”   

Jackson further stated that, “We are also reminded in times like this of how thankful we are for our crews that respond quickly 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, and 365 days-a-year, especially on holidays like today when they are at work, serving the community away from their families.’’

Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue encourages home owners and building owners to consider protecting their property and family members with fire sprinklers.  Fire sprinklers offer the most effective way to protect structures and people from building fires.  

Visit Clark Cowlitz Fire Rescue at www.clarkfr.org for more information about fire sprinklers.

 

Apartment Building, Residential

Spokane, WA – Kitchen fire extinguished by apartment sprinkler system

A kitchen fire was extinguished early Sunday by the Spokane County Fire Department. 

The fire was reported on E 55 Ave. as residents could see smoke coming out of the second floor of the building. The fire department said that the situation could have been much worse, as a sprinkler system installed in the building was able to control the fire until the authorities arrived. 

Apartment Building, Residential

Sequim, WA – Fire sprinkler system keeps apartment fire contained

 Fire burned at an apartment complex in Sequim last night.

About 7 PM, Fire District Three was called to reports of a fire in a unit at the Elk Creek Apartments. A tenant said flames were spreading in one unit.

Most of the complex’s tenants had evacuated by the time fire crews arrived. Officials say everyone had been alerted to a fire by audible fire alarms. A sprinkler system activated and kept the fire isolated.

Two units were damaged by fire, smoke, and water. No one was injured.

The Red Cross was also notified and responded to assist the displaced tenants.

Apartment Building, Residential

Auburn, WA – Fire sprinklers control apartment fire and limit damage

The streak began on Friday, Sept. 4, at 12:48 p.m., with a fire at the Gentry Walk Apartments, 12700 block of SE 312th St. in Auburn. Three adults, including one disabled female were displaced after a fire began in their apartment. The disabled female was not able to evacuate on her own and was carried out by firefighters. Fortunately, the building sprinkler system controlled this fire, limiting damage to approximately $5,000 in the affected unit.  An adjacent unit suffered a small amount of water damage. The cause is undetermined at this time.

Other - Retail, Retail

Vancouver, WA – Car on top of auto shop lift caught fire, kept in check by fire sprinklers

A fire sprinkler system helped check the spread of a vehicle fire at a Vancouver-area auto repair shop on Monday, according to the Vancouver Fire Department.

The blaze was reported as a commercial structure fire shortly after 4 p.m. at 7105 N.E. 40th Ave. after a car on top of an auto lift caught fire, the fire department said. Workers tried to put the fire out themselves but were pushed out by smoke.

The shop’s fire sprinkler system activated, keeping the fire in check until it could be extinguished by arriving firefighters. the department said.

No firefighters were injured, but one occupant of the business suffered minor burns to one of his hands. He declined medical treatment.

The fire is under investigation by the Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Apartment Building, Residential

Kent, WA – Apartment sprinkler system extinguishes third-floor fire; No injuries reported

Puget Sound Fire extinguished two separate apartment fires on June 24 in Kent.

At about 12:34 p.m., firefighters responded to the 400 block of Novak Lane for a fire at the Alderbrook Apartments, according to an email from Puget Sound Fire spokesman Capt. Joe Root. Firefighters saw smoke from the window of a third-floor apartment.

A sprinkler system put out the kitchen fire and the occupants evacuated with no injuries.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Bremerton, WA – Fire set by arsonist in children’s section of Walmart contained by fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

Investigators are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspected arsonist who they say set fire to children’s clothing inside a crowded Walmart store near Bremerton.

The blaze caused an estimated $3 million in damage and endangered more than 300 people who were in the store at the time, Kitsap County sheriff’s officials said.

Crews responded to the blaze, in the 6700 block of State Route 303, at about 10:30 a.m. after receiving several calls about clothing on fire inside the store.

The blaze set off the sprinkler system, and employees took quick action to try and limit the spread of the flames. Firefighters also worked to contain the flames to the clothing section before extinguishing the fire.

There were no reports of injuries.

Sheriff’s officials say the suspect entered the store wearing dark cothing, changed clothes after the fire and rode away on a bicycle.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect or who knows of his whereabouts is urged to call Kitsap County Sheriff’s Detective T. Dobbins at (360) 509-1026 or at (360) 337-5614. They may also contact Detective Sgt. Birkenfeld at (360) 340-5647.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Seattle, WA – Sprinkler system contains DUMPSTER fire next to middle school building; No injuries reported

12:02 AM: What started as a fire-alarm call at Madison Middle School has been upgraded to a “full response.” Updates to come.

12:06 AM: Firefighters are describing this as a “dumpster fire” and dismissing some of the units.

12:11 AM: Fire is reported “tapped” (out); next job, to turn off the automatic sprinklers.

12:40 AM: The cause is under investigation. We’ll follow up with SFD and the district later today.

3:09 PM: From SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo: “Crews confirmed it was a dumpster fire next to the school building. The building’s sprinklers were able to contain the fire while our firefighters fully extinguished it. No injuries reported. Our fire investigators were not dispatched to this scene as they responded to another fire that occurred at the same time” (in North Seattle).

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Kitsap, Wa – Arson fire contained to room of origin by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A 15-year-old Port Orchard male teen was arrested on suspicion of arson on Wednesday, hours after a fire at Marcus Marcus Whitman Middle School caused significant damage.

The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is investigating whether others were involved, Lt. Earl Smith said.

The call began as a burglar alarm early Wednesday. Smith said officers found evidence of forced entry and fire inside the building. Since they didn’t know if suspects were inside, law enforcement provided cover to fire crews as they battled the blaze.

South Kitsap Fire and Rescue was aided by fire crews from Bremerton, Central Kitsap and Navy Region Northwest and officers from the Port Orchard Police Department, SKFR said in a post on social media. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also has taken part in the investigation.

“Thankfully, there were no injuries,” said Amy Miller, spokeswoman for South Kitsap School District.

Smith said damage to the building was “significant.” A photo posted on social media by the sheriff’s office shows scores of ceiling tiles on the floor near the school’s entryway. South Kitsap Fire & Rescue reported that the fire was contained to the room of origin by the sprinkler system.

The school has been closed since March 16 along with all other schools in Washington state to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Detectives arrested the suspect with the help of a K-9 tracking team shortly before noon on suspicion of first degree arson and second degree burglary. He was interviewed Wednesday afternoon at the Kitsap County Juvenile Detention Center regarding whether he had accomplices, Smith said.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Blaine, WA – Commercial building fire put out by fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

A small fire occurred in a commercial building on Odell Road, but was extinguished by a sprinkler system that prevented any significant structural damage to the building.

On March 1 at about 2 p.m., a fire broke out in a commercial building at 2256 Odell Road in Blaine. The fire occurred in a manufacturing area, and North Whatcom Fire and Rescue (NWFR) was dispatched following an alarm. “We got dispatched to it as a sprinkler/water flow alarm, a fire alarm telling us that the sprinkler system was flowing,” said NWFR division chief and fire marshal Herschel Rostov.

Rostov said that when NWFR firefighters arrived on scene, they found smoke and fire inside the building. However, a sprinkler head had mostly extinguished the fire before it extended very far. Firefighters shut off the water flow, searched the building, determined the extent of damage and ventilated the building to clear the smoke.

“Sprinkler systems can sometimes be an item that building owners find to be very expensive,” said Rostov. “In this case, that single sprinkler head probably kept the whole building from burning down. This is one of those situations where it was very effective and efficient.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Rostov said. He said that the fire appeared to be accidental and that nobody was injured in the incident.

The building is owned by Hugh Wiebe, who said the fire occurred in a space rented to the Bellingham company Cauldron Broths. He said that he is currently working with NWFR to assess the damage, which appears to be limited to smoke damage to some products.