Primary / Secondary School, School / University Issaquah, WA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at elementary school; No injuries reported October 11, 2018 viking210 A small fire at Issaquah’s Challenger Elementary school has forced the evacuation of students to another school. The fire broke out in a garbage can in a bathroom around 1:30 p.m., according to Sgt. Ryan Abbott with the King County Sheriff’s Office. The flames set off the sprinkler system, causing some water damage, plus quite a bit of smoke filled the school, Abbott said. A 5-year-old child was checked out for smoke inhalation, but was determined to be fine, Abbott said. Meanwhile, all students were reported safe and have been moved to the gym at nearby Beaver Lake Middle School. School buses will pick up the children there, and parents can also pick up their kids from Beaver Lake. There is no word yet what started the fire. Police warn there are road closures near the school at 25200 Klahanie Blvd. SE.
Apartment Building, Residential Spokane, WA – Apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system before fire crews arrive October 10, 2018 viking210 At 6:20 a.m. Tuesday, Spokane firefighters responded to fire alarms going off at a South Hill apartment complex at 3210 E 44th Ave. A mom and her baby were in their apartment when a candle was accidentally knocked onto a bed and started the fire. The mother and child safely got out of the building. According to Spokane Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer, the building’s sprinkler system put out the fire before crews even arrived. Damage was contained the bedroom where the fire started. Fire alarms effectively notified people in nearby units. Up to 25 people evacuated but were able to return to their apartments when fire crews got there. The mom and baby are now unable to stay in their unit because of smoke damage. Chief Schaeffer said Tuesday the building owner was working with the mother on a place for them to stay.
Other - Storage / Warehouse, Storage / Warehouse Wenatchee, WA – Sprinkler system helped fire crews knock down fire in commercial building September 27, 2018 viking210 Chelan and Douglas County Firefighters were dispatched to a commercial structure fire on South Columbia Street this morning. The building at 1028 South Columbia Street is owned by Mike Walker and was used mostly for storage “We were tearing out one of the walls and something sparked material in an old paint booth” Walker said only one employee was inside and reported the fire after exiting the building. Chelan County #1 Deputy Fire Chief Mike Burnett confirmed the likely cause. He said the fire appeared to start when sparks or something ignited layers of old lacquer on the walls of a spray booth under demolition in the former cabinet shop. Burnett said Lifeline Ambulance personnel who were first to arrive on scene reported smoke was billowing from an open bay door and exterior vents of the building. There were no injuries. An automatic sprinkler system helped fire crews knock down the flames and Burnett described the damage as minimal.
Other Business Renton, WA – Sprinkler system limits spread of commercial business fire September 18, 2018 viking210 Puget Sound Fire responded to a commercial fire in the 18100 block of East Valley Highway Sunday night, Sept. 16. Authorities say a sprinkler was activated, which kept the fire to a single business. There were no injuries.
Other / Not Specified Olympia, WA – Sprinkler system activates to help limit car fire in tunnel September 14, 2018 viking210 A vehicle fire closed the tunnel at 14th Avenue Southeast under the Capitol Campus on Thursday morning, according to the Capitol Campus’ emergency alert Twitter account. The vehicle was in an eastbound lane and fully engulfed, according to a tweet. The westbound lanes of the tunnel reopened at about 7 a.m. and the eastbound lanes were open shortly after that. No injuries were reported, according to Olympia Fire Department. Heat set off sprinklers and a public works crew was called to replace them.
Apartment Building, Residential Lacey, WA – Sprinkler system prevented fire from spreading in apartment complex; No injuries reported August 28, 2018 viking210 A sleepy Lacey apartment dweller snoozed right through a fire in their unit and fire crews breaking through the doorway to douse the flames. Luckily, a sprinkler head kept the fire from spreading, and the resident was unhurt. The drama unfolded at around midnight Sunday when crews responded to a fire alarm at the apartment complex. Arriving at the scene, firefighters forced their way into the unit and found that a cooking fire had ignited in the kitchen. A sprinkler had kept the flames from spreading, and crews made certain the fire was out. That’s when they discovered that the apartment resident was there and slept through the whole commotion. “Sprinklers save lives,” the Lacey Fire Department tweeted after the blaze.
Primary / Secondary School, School / University Suquamish, WA – Sprinkler system keeps arson fire in check at elementary school; No injuries reported August 7, 2018 viking210 North Kitsap Fire & Rescue crews responded to a fire at Squamish Elementary School at 11:51 p.m. Wednesday night that officials say was the result of someone setting a couch on fire just outside the school. Squamish Elementary School is part of the North Kitsap School district and is located at 8950 Park Blvd NE, Suquamish, WA 98392. Arriving firefighter crews found heavy smoke at the scene, water flowing from the sprinkler system, but no flames. “About 100 square feet of the building’s exterior finish was blackened. School officials believe that the couch, which was destroyed in the incident, was dumped by unknown person(s) in or near the building’s dumpster,” North Kitsap Fire & Rescue said in a news release. A fire investigation of the Kitsap County Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene and determined the fire was intentionally set. Officials say no firefighters or civilians were injured in the fire. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Deputy Fire Marshal Ken Rice at (360) 337-5777.
Apartment Building, Residential Spokane, WA – Overnight fire at downtown apartment building controlled with help from sprinkler system August 2, 2018 viking210 Spokane Fire Department Special Investigation Unit team members are investigating the cause of a fire that damaged a downtown apartment building early last Saturday morning. It happened on the 300 block of W. 2nd Avenue just after 1:00 a.m., according to Public Safety Communications Manager Michele Anderson. A fire was reported inside a second floor apartment and spoke was spreading throughout the upper floors of the four-story apartment building. Anderson went on to say that the sprinkler system had activated and a fire was found and extinguished inside the apartment. One person was treated at the scene for slight smoke inhalation, according to SFD. There were no reported injuries to firefighters. Fire investigators and Spokane Police have questioned a person of interest. Anyone with information about the fire should call 509-625-7000. The American Red Cross responded to help displaced occupants. Anderson said that when crews started evacuating residents, they found that most of the people living in the building did not leave when the fire alarm sounded. The Spokane Fire Department would like to remind to always do the appropriate thing when a fire alarm sounds and evacuate to a safe location outside the building.
Primary / Secondary School, School / University Richland, WA – Stove top fire at elementary school contained by sprinkler system July 27, 2018 viking210 A small fire in Richland’s newest school, Jefferson Elementary, won’t stop the doors opening Aug. 28. A stove in the school’s life skills room was accidentally left on Tuesday, and set some paper on fire, Battalion Chief Mike Wroolie told the Herald. Some neighbors noticed the fire and called 911 about 9:30 p.m. Luckily, the nearly $17 million school’s sprinkler system was working as well and helped contain the fire to the stove top. Some nearby cabinets were scorched, but the fire didn’t spread any farther. Richland School District is still assessing the damage from the fire and the water to the new school along George Washington Way. The building is the final school being built as part of a 2013 bond. The 65,000-square-foot school can house 630 students when it’s finished this fall. According to a post on the district’s Facebook page, the damage will not prevent the building from opening for the start of school. Photos on the district’s website show a building that is nearly finished. Officials thanked the school’s neighbors who spotted the blaze. The oldest part of the school was built in 1953 and was demolished as part of the project. The 1982 addition is becoming the district’s preschool center.
Other / Not Specified, Other Business Lakewood, WA – Arson fire at casino contained by sprinkler system July 12, 2018 viking210 On Monday, July 9th at approximately 7:05 p.m., West Pierce Fire & Rescue responded to reports of a structure fire at the Macau Casino, located at 9811 South Tacoma Way in Lakewood. Reports came in as smoke being present in the building and the building was in the process of being evacuated. Crews arrived and determined upon entry the fire was in the women’s restroom. The sprinkler system in the building contained the fire to the restroom and saved the structure, as well as the occupants inside. Without the automatic sprinkler system in place, the fire would have quickly spread and the incident would have been much larger. West Pierce Fire & Rescue investigators determined the fire was set intentionally and the Lakewood Police Department is investigating.
