Tag Archives: Wisconsin

Office Building, Other Business

Madison, WI – Overnight fire at downtown office building extinguished by sprinkler system

The building that houses the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development (WHEDA) is closed Wednesday due to a fire that broke out overnight according to a release from WHEDA. Madison Fire Department said they were called to the Tommy Thompson Commerce Center around 1:06 a.m. for an activated alarm.

Fire officials said when firefighters arrived the fire was out. They say a high-voltage power supply to the building shorted and caused sparks to shower down on some plastic materials underneath. A small fire ignited, and the automatic sprinkler system in the room caught the fire early.

A representative from WHEDA says there is no power in the building, and it’s completely closed at this time. Power is not expected to be restored until Thursday. Employees have been told not to report to work until they are notified.

Fire officials say there’s limited fire damage to the room and a small amount of smoke damage in the area where the fire took place.

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), the Educational Approval Board, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Tourism also have offices located in the Tommy Thompson Commerce Center.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Eau Claire, WI – Firefighters say sprinklers helped reduce damage in uniform company fire

Firefighters are crediting sprinklers for reducing the amount of damage caused by an overnight fire at an Eau Claire uniform company.

When crews arrived to the 3600 block of White Avenue early Tuesday morning, smoke was pouring from the large commercial building.

They responded to Huebsch Linen Services just after 2:00 a.m. The business is off Melby Street, near the airport.

According to the fire department, uniforms and rags were burning inside. Firefighters say the sprinkler system kept the fire small. They’re estimating damage at $20,000.

Huebsch makes work uniforms, floor matting and facility supplies.

Athletic Club/Sports Facility

Madison, WI – Fire on 5th floor of YWCA building controlled by sprinkler system

The City of Madison Fire Department is crediting an automatic sprinkler system for helping avoid major damage after a fire at the YWCA on Wednesday.   Officials say the fire started on the fifth floor of the building located at 101 E. Mifflin Street around 1:15 p.m.

 Firefighters say there was heavy smoke conditions reported on the fourth and fifth floors after using high-rise firefighting operations. They were able to successfully extinguish the fire, keeping the water and fire damage to a minimum. 

The fire department says the YWCA staff followed all proper procedures upon hearing the fire alarms. They say everyone was evacuated safely and uninjured. Damage is estimated at $5,000-$10,000. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Madison, WI – Fire in hotel storage closet extinguished with help from sprinkler system

The Edgewater hotel was evacuated Monday night due to a fire discovered in a small storage closet. Nobody was injured in the fire. A sprinkler put out most of the fire in the closet, with the fire totally put out by firefighters.

The fire call came in to the Madison Fire Department at about 8:15 p.m. Firefighters responded within minutes to the hotel at 666 Wisconsin Ave. “Alarms were sounding and people evacuated the building,” the fire department reported.

A bag of rags had been smoldering in the closet, with some cardboard boxes above the bag catching fire. Staff said the bag contained kitchen rags and should not have been in the closet. “Security video showed an employee placing the bag in the room,” the report said. The investigation continues. No damage estimate was given.

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison, WI – Cooking fire in apartment building put out by sprinkler system

The Madison Fire Department credits sprinklers with putting out a cooking fire in an apartment on West Mifflin Street.  Firefighters were called to the 500 block of W. Mifflin just before 3 p.m. Friday. They say someone in a third floor apartment was cooking when oil in a pan ignited. The flames set off a sprinkler head in the kitchen. The fire department says there was minimal smoke damage from the fire, but some water did flow into lower floors.  Seventeen people in the apartment building are safe.  The fire department says there’s no word on when residents would be able to get back into their apartments, but all of them were able to arrange a place to stay overnight.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Madison, WI – Sprinkler system suppresses early morning fire at assisted living facility

The Madison Fire Department says an electrical fault caused a fire at an assisted living facility on the city’s west side early Friday morning. According to fire officials, the sprinkler system contained the fire to that apartment, which limited the damage to the property.

Firefighters were called to Tabor Oaks Assisted Living on Mineral Point Road at about 6:40 a.m. after a fire broke out in a second-floor apartment. Staff members were able to get every resident out safely. No one was injured. Most residents were able to go back inside their apartments soon after firefighters left the scene.

Fire investigators say a fault in a bedside table lamp caused the fire.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Plover, WI – Late night electrical fire at restaurant extinguished with help from sprinkler system

An electrical fire was contained to the kitchen at Bamboo House in Plover on Thursday night.  Plover Fire Chief Mark Deaver said the sprinkler system in the building was to thank for everything that was saved during the incident, in which no one was injured.

The metro fire team, consisting of units from the Plover, Stevens Point and Hull fire departments, responded at around 11:15 p.m. Thursday. Crews were on scene for about two hours, Deaver said. The fire took about 10 minutes to extinguish after firefighters arrived on the scene.

Deaver said the investigation is ongoing but that the building remained intact and suffered no structural damage.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Automatic sprinkler contains fire at Mercury Marine plant (Fond du Lac, WI)

No one was hurt and damage was minor in a fire at Mercury Marine Monday afternoon. The Fond du Lac Fire Department responded to the call at 2:36 p.m. Upon arrival, crews learned the fire started in Plant 98 in a dust collector. The automatic fire sprinkler activated and contained and extinguished the fire. “The fire suppression system worked as designed and kept the fire contained to the dust collector” said, Fond du Lac Fire Chief Peter O’Leary.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Fire at resort hotel and spa doused by sprinkler system (Lake Geneva, WI)

Several local fire departments responded to The Cove Thursday night after a fire was detected in the sauna on the lower level pool area. The call came in at about 7 p.m.

“We pulled the Box Alarm because of the size and occupancy of the structure,” Lake Geneva Deputy Fire Chief Dan Derrick said. “Fortunately, the fire sprinkler functioned exactly at it was designed to, which prevented a much more serious fire from causing extensive damage.”

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Sprinklers minimize damage in electrical fire at lumber yard (Birnamwood, WI)

A fire that caused relatively minor damage to a Birnamwood business Sunday night likely was caused by an electrical malfunction. Fire crews responded to a sprinkler alarm at Kersten Lumber at about 9:35 p.m. Sunday, Birnamwood Area Fire Chief Randy Berger said.  When crews arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from the building, he said. One wall had burned, he said, but the damage was not bad. No one was hurt in the incident and the sprinkler system kept the fire contained, he said.