Tag Archives: Wisconsin

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.

Apartment Building, Residential

Burlington, WI – Sprinkler system extinguishes third-floor apartment fire

An early Thursday afternoon apartment fire displaced residents at the Fox Crossing Apartments on Bridge Street along the city’s riverfront.

All occupants were safely evacuated from the multi-unit apartment complex at 180 Bridge St., with one resident sustaining burns and being transported to Aurora Burlington Medical Center, the City of Burlington Fire Department confirmed Friday. 

City Fire Chief Alan Babe reported that the fire was contained to one third-floor apartment, where sprinklers extinguished the blaze.

“We got a general (automatic) fire alarm at 12:33 hours,” Babe said. “Prior to us going en route, we got a call back from Racine County Communications Center that a proper pass code was given to clear the alarm, so I had the cancel tones set off. What ended up eventually happening is we were re-toned for smoke in the building.

“We were on scene at 12:40 and first crews in realized we did have an active fire at one point in Unit Number 306. Sprinklers were activated, with some water damage. Evacuation was already in progress upon our arrival,” Babe said.

A press release from Babe on Friday morning said the activation of the fire sprinkler system stopped the fire from engulfing the third-floor unit within minutes and expanding quickly to the other apartments.

“Without the fire sprinkler system in place, the aftermath would have been devastating, resulting in serious risk to life or even total property damage,” Babe said.

Burlington Police Department Lt. Brian Zmudzinski reported that 180 Bridge St. has 32 apartments with approximately 65 to 70 occupants.

Babe reported that displaced residents from the four-story complex were initially gathered together in the community room at the neighboring Fox Crossing Apartments building at 120 Bridge St.

“We do have EMS personnel with all the residents at this time,” Babe said at the scene, adding that COVID precautions were being taken and that pharmaceutical medication, food and hydration needs of residents were “being taken care of.”

Red Cross called

Babe said that some residents would be allowed to return to the apartment building in certain areas deemed safe to do so. But he added there “are going to be some permanent displacements” in an unknown number of units due to water damage.

The chief said he had been in contact with the American Red Cross regarding “proper accommodations” for any possible permanent displacements in connection with the incident, noting it was likely that some displaced residents might find accommodations with friends or family.

“We’re looking long-term if we have to put people up for a period of time … to make sure that they’re taken care of. We have those plans in place,” Babe said.

Firefighters continued helping displaced residents collect belongings and pets well into Thursday evening. Damage estimates were not available and the incident remained under investigation as of Friday.

As part of the incident response, Babe said the City of Burlington Fire Department set up a unified command system with the Burlington Police Department and responding fire departments. Multiple emergency units were on scene, including units from the Town of Burlington, Rochester, Lake Geneva, Salem Lakes and the Racine Fire Bells Emergency Services Support and Rehab unit. Babe said city staff, including the mayor, city administrator and public works crews were also on scene.

“We had good representation,” he said. “Everybody’s working together.”

The Racine County Sheriff’s Office and We Energies crews also assisted at the scene.

Babe said the cause of the fire is under investigation. There was no estimate on the dollar amount of damage to the apartment building as of Wednesday afternoon.

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison, WI – Fire sprinklers extinguish overnight apartment fire

A Madison apartment resident was injured after a fire broke out in their unit overnight, says the Madison Fire Department.

Firefighters arrived at the apartment building on the 1000 block of North High Point Road around 12:45 a.m. Monday. They said several people were already leaving the 24-unit building when they arrived.

The fire had been extinguished by the automatic sprinkler system in the building, according to the Madison Fire Department.

They said a resident in the unit where the fire originated was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Minor damage was limited to the unit and the unit below it, says MFD. Three people displaced from the lower unit are being helped by the American Red Cross.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Beloit, WI – Sprinkler system prevents apartment fire from spreading after improper use of smoking materials; No injuries reported

 No injuries were reported following a house fire caused by improper use of smoking materials on Tuesday, according to the Beloit Fire Department.

A sprinkler system at an apartment building in the 400 block of Olympian Boulevard “likely saved lives,” a fire department Facebook post said. The sprinkler system prevented a fire in the common room from spreading further.

The fire started at around 11:20 p.m. on Tuesday. A couch in the common area caught fire from the careless use of smoking materials, but the fire was extinguished by the sprinkler system, with the blaze causing approximately $7,000 in damages, the department said

Other - Retail, Retail

La Crosee, WI – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at ACE Hardware; No injuries reported

The cause of a fire at the ACE Hardware Distribution Center on French Island is under investigation.

The La Crosse Fire Department was called to the center at 500 Fanta Reed Place shortly before 2 p.m.

Light smoke was showing when crews arrived. Given the size of the building, a total of eight trucks with crews were eventually called to the scene.

According to Captain Lance Tryggestad, three crews went inside to find the location of the fire. No employees were on the scene when the fire occurred.

The fire was tracked down in the warehouse. It was being actively suppressed by a fire sprinkler system. Fire crews were able to get control of the fire and ultimately extinguish it and turn off the sprinkler system.

No injuries were reported.