Tag Archives: Wisconsin

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison, WI – Sprinkler system extinguishes apartment kitchen fire; No injuries reported

Firefighters are crediting automatic sprinklers installed in an apartment on Madison’s near east side with quickly extinguishing a kitchen fire before it could spread further.

Authorities said occupants of the apartment complex in the 800 block of Williamson Street were evacuating the building as firefighters arrived just after 6 p.m. Tuesday.

When crews entered the building and made it to the second floor where the fire initially broke out, they found an automatic sprinkler flowing, but no active fire. Crews then shut off the sprinkler system and worked to remove water from the unit.

The occupant of the unit where the fire started told firefighters they were heating up a butane-powered hot pot when flames began coming from the butane bottle rather than the burner. The occupant threw water on the flames which caused a flare-up that triggered the sprinkler. The sprinkler put out the fire before firefighters arrived.

No one was injured in the incident, according to fire officials.

Apartment Building, Residential

McFarland, WI – Exterior fire sprinkler controlled second-story balcony fire

McFarland Fire & Rescue responded to a second-story balcony on fire just before 11:30 a.m. on Monday, which staff says was controlled by a fire sprinkler.

At 11:21 a.m., crews were dispatched to the fire at 5601 Lexington St. in the village of McFarland, which they found controlled by an exterior fire sprinkler head. They were able to extinguish the fire within about 15 minutes of it being reported.

According to a press release from the department, the sprinkler prevented the fire from extending into the attic of the building, though it did spread into the furnace room of the apartment, displacing one tenant.

Though the apartment that caught fire was unoccupied, one apartment resident was transported by a city of Madison ambulance with a non-life-threatening medical emergency.

A passerby called 911 after seeing the sprinkler activate.

“Without the fire sprinkler and fire alarm system, the fire’s outcome would have been much worse,” the department said in a release.

The city of Madison and city of Monona fire departments, along with the McFarland Police, responded to the incident as well.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Antigo, WI – Sprinkler system helps prevent major damage to business; No injuries reported

Developing overnight in Langlade County, the Antigo Fire Department tells NewsChannel 7 that crews responded to a fire at Dejno’s overnight.

Fire Chief John Petroskey with the Antigo Fire Department says that there were no injuries reported but there was substantial damage to equipment inside the building. Crews say that a sprinkler system inside the building helped prevent major damage to its structural integrity.

The call came in at 7 p.m. Thursday night with crews battling the fire into the early morning hours of Friday. Chief Petroskey says Bridge Street will be open to traffic Friday morning.

The fire is under investigation with Chief Petroskey saying crews will be back on scene in the morning to check for hot spots.

Apartment Building, Residential

McFarland, WI – Fire sprinklers contained the fire quickly and initiated the fire alarm system

McFarland Fire and Rescue crews were dispatched for an apartment fire just before 10:30 p.m. on Monday night.

Crews arrived on the scene at 10:27 p.m. to find the fire sprinkler system had contained a kitchen fire in an apartment on Farwell St. The building was being evacuated when firefighters arrived, and the fire was out by 10:45, according to McFarland Fire and Rescue.

Smoke was cleared from the building, and the fire sprinkler was restored. Most of the building tenants were able to return to their units before midnight, but the two adjacent units were relocated for the night to allow water remediation of their units’ fire sprinkler water to occur. The apartment with the fire will be uninhabitable for some time due to fire and smoke damage.

The tenant of that apartment was able to stay with family members in McFarland. The cause of the fire is under investigation and is believed to be accidental.

Damage estimates are pending further evaluation. All building occupants were able to evacuate, and no injuries occurred during the event.

With temperatures below zero on Monday night, Madison Metro assisted by providing a transit bus to allow tenants to remain warm during the incident, while the Monona Fire Department also assisted the McFarland crews.

The cold snap can have some significant effects on fire crews as well.

“The intense cold requires us to provide warm areas for the individuals displaced and the firefighters. Firefighters’ equipment will freeze, including our breathing apparatus, and may need thawing to be used. The firefighters that put the fire out last night had their turnout gear frozen while they were wearing it,” McFarland Fire and Rescue Chief Chris Dennis said. “We will rotate crews more frequently to keep firefighters warm and prevent cold injuries such as frostbite. Additionally, when using hose lines, we have to keep water flowing to prevent freezing in the lines, leading to ice on the ground and slip hazards.”

McFarland Fire and Rescue offered the following safety message to community members after the incident:

“The fire sprinklers contained the fire quickly and initiated the fire alarm system. The fire alarm system alerted the occupants and the 911 center of the fire. Without the fire sprinklers, the fire would have been much larger, and the outcome could have been much worse.”

Department Store, Retail

Wausau, WI – Fire at Fleet Farm contained by fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

No one was injured Saturday morning after a fire broke out at Fleet Farm in Wausau and the store is expected to reopen later in the day. 

The Wausau Fire Department received a call around 5:45 a.m. Saturday about a fire in the store at 1811 Badger Ave., Battalion Chief Jeremy Kopp said. Employees at the store noticed the fire, called 911 and evacuated the store. 

The store’s sprinkler system put out most of the fire before the fire department arrived, but firefighters did have to extinguish fire in the walls of the store, Kopp said. The fire was contained to a section of the store. After that, the department remained at the store to help with cleanup. 

Kopp said without the sprinkler system at the store, the damage from the fire “could have been a lot worse.” 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Kopp said, but it does not appear to be suspicious. 

The store is expected to reopen sometime Saturday, according to a post on the Wausau Fleet Farm Facebook page. Customers should check the Facebook page throughout the day for updates. 

Apartment Building, Residential

Racine, WI – Sprinkler system extinguised wastebasket fire at apartment; No injuries reported

An automatic sprinkler, triggered by a wastebasket fire, caused extensive water damage to an apartment unit at 134 Main Street Wednesday evening.

The Racine Fire Department was called to the residence at 10:18 p.m.by an automatic sprinkler system water flow alarm. The sprinkler head had extinguished an accidental wastebasket fire in Apartment 210. There were no injuries.

However, the sprinkler caused an estimated $30,000 in damage to the ceiling, walls and contents of the downstairs unit, Apartment 110. Firefighters used tarps and other equipment to protect belongings in the apartment. Apartment 210, where the fire originated, sustained approximately $5,000 in minimal water damage and moderate smoke damage. The fire was determined to have been caused by discarding hot smoking materials in a wastebasket filled with tissue paper.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Brookfield, WI – Fire sprinklers contain fire at mall

A fire at Brookfield Square Mall was contained by a sprinkler system Thursday evening.

According to a press release from the Brookfield Fire Department, fire crews responded to a report of a fire at 95 S. Moorland Road around 7:33 p.m. Thursday. Upon fire department arrival, light smoking was found to be coming in a back hallway, which activated the sprinkler system.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Racine, WI – Fire in aluminum sample shop contained by fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

The Racine Fire Department responded to a structure fire at Modine Manufacturing, 1500 DeKoven Ave., shortly after 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Upon arrival, personnel from Engine 6 reported discovering a light haze inside the building and were directed to the complex’s “aluminum sample shop” where automatic fire sprinklers heads had activated.

Due to the smoke conditions, Quint 4 and Med 1 were tasked with search and rescue and assisting employees out of the building. 

“As a reminder to the general public, please treat all fire alarm activations as if there is a real fire. Please proceed to the nearest exit and reassemble with co-workers or family members in a preselected meeting spot,” the release advised.

The fire was brought under control in about an hour, RFD reported. 

The fire was fought by 24 RFD firefighters and no additional help was needed to suppress the blaze, the release said. There were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported. 

The fire was contained to an aluminum particle collection machine, according to a release. Damage is estimated to be at $35,000. 

Apartment Building, Residential

Beaver Dam, WI – Sprinkler system stops spread of fire at apartment complex

A sprinkler system saved a Beaver Dam apartment building from widespread damage on Friday.

Just after 3pm, the Beaver Dam Fire Department was dispatched to Mary Ann Road for a report of a garage fire which was located directly below the apartments. Crews arrived on scene to find smoke visible from the garage. Fire Chief Alan Mannel says the new apartments were equipped with sprinklers that extinguished the fire prior to the arrival of first responders. He says without the sprinklers installed, the fire may have been (quote) “catastrophic.” Mannel adds examples like these are why fire departments around the state stress the importance of sprinklers in multi-family structures and apartment complexes.

Uncategorized

Appleton, WI – Sprinkler system contains fire in machinery; No injuries reported

A fire in machinery caused about $10,000 in Appleton early Tuesday morning.

Appleton Fire says it was dispatched to a business in the 2600 block of W. Second Street for a report of a water flow alarm shortly after 5 a.m.

While en route, fire crews were updated that there was smoke in the building and a suspected fire.

When crews arrived, Appleton Fire says they found a fire in a piece of machinery that had traveled through a duct to another room.

The automatic fire sprinkler system in the building was controlling the fire, according to Appleton Fire. Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire and turned off the sprinkler system.

No injuries were reported and the business will be able to open on Tuesday because of the properly functioning sprinkler and alarm systems.

Appleton fire says the cause of the fire is due to a process malfunction.