Tag Archives: Wisconsin

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Monroe, WI – Fire controlled by sprinkler system after explosion at commercial printer

Firefighters responded to an explosion in Monroe early Saturday morning.

According to a Facebook post from the Monroe Fire Department, firefighters were sent to RR Donnelley after the sprinkler system there was activated.

Officials said when firefighter arrived on the scene, they noticed smoke coming from the building, and that some windows were damaged.

The Monroe Fire Department said there had been an explosion in the building which resulted in a fire that activated the sprinkler system.

The fire was controlled by the sprinkler system.

There was some damage to equipment and the building, however the business has sufficient backup equipment to avoid a closure.

The Monroe Fire Department also said the staff at the company worked very well with firefighters to get things quickly resolved and into recovery.

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison, WI – Single sprinkler head extinguishes apartment fire

One person was taken to the hospital following a fire in a Sun Prairie apartment.

According to the Sun Prairie Fire Department, Sun Prairie Emergency Services responded to the 1000 block of O’Keefe Avenue for an occupant reporting the smell of smoke and an active fire alarm system on Thursday.

Officials found a fire inside an apartment unit that had been extinguished by a single fire sprinkler.

One resident was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, and all other occupants were able to return to their units. Damage is estimated at $15,000 in one unit of the 28-unit apartment building.

According to the fire department, initial reports indicate the occupant attempted to extinguish the fire before calling 911. If you discover a fire, get to a safe location and immediately call 911 and activate the fire alarm system if present. Officials says this is the second incident on OKeefe Ave this year that someone attempted to extinguish a fire themselves in lieu of getting out and calling 911.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Racine, WI – Fire sprinklers save tenants and apartment building from loss; No injuries reported

No one was injured in a Sunday afternoon kitchen fire that aused an estimated $3,300 in damage at the Regency West Apartments in the 2300 block of Loni Lane.

At 2:45 p.m. Sunday, the Racine Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a fire in an upper apartment at 2328 Loni Lane, west of Highway 31, according to a Fire Department news release. Occupants were standing safely outside when firefighters arrived.

After arriving on scene, firefighters found an automatic fire sprinkler system spraying water from a single sprinkler head into the kitchen at the apartment, where a fire started on the stove top and had spread to the cabinets before the sprinkler system activated. A smoke alarm was sounding in the apartment.

Instead of battling what would most likely have been a fully involved apartment fire, firefighters had to merely turn off the main water control to the fire sprinkler system to stop further damage, Fire Department officials said.

The Red Cross was contacted to assist the four people in two apartments who were displaced due to the fire.

The tenants are expected to be able to return to their apartments within a few days.

The Fire Department said that lessons learned from the incident were:

  • Fire sprinklers likely saved tenants and an apartment building from a catastrophic fire loss.
  • Tenants involved in this fire did not have renter’s insurance, which would have helped protect them from the thousands of dollars of financial loss. Renter’s insurance also helps protect tenants from actions of neighbors, fire officials advised.
Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

West Bend, WI (no media coverage) – Condo cooking fire put out by fire sprinklers

04/11/2020 20:28 #20-1148 The West Bend Fire Department was dispatched to a multi family condominium, 470 N Silverbrook Dr., on Saturday, April 11th, 2020, at 8:28 p.m., for a grease fire on the stove in one of the second floor units. Engine 1, Truck 2, and Battalion 1 responded. The owner of the condo met firefighters outside and stated that the fire was out. He stated that he was cooking on the stove and the oil in the pan flared up when he pulled the cover off. He attempted to use a fire extinguisher but the fire grew in size with flames from the stove reaching the bottom of the microwave. The sprinkler system activated and suppressed the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison, WI – Fourth floor apartment cooking fire extinguished by fire sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Madison firefighters responded to a kitchen fire Saturday evening after cooking oil caught fire on a stove top.

Firefighters arrived to the 100 block of North Livingston Street at 6:15 p.m. Crews made their way to the fourth floor of an apartment building where they encountered water in the hallway.

According to an incident report, firefighters found that the building’s fire sprinkler system had activated and extinguished the fire. Officials said the water had also made its way to the apartments below.

The two occupants of the apartment told firefighters they were not injured.

According to the report, fire damage was minimal. Four apartment units sustained water damage from the sprinklers.

Apartment Building, Residential

Mt. Pleasant, WI – Fire sprinklers stop stove top fire from spreading in apartment; No injuries reported

No one was injured in a Sunday afternoon kitchen fire that aused an estimated $3,300 in damage at the Regency West Apartments in the 2300 block of Loni Lane.

At 2:45 p.m. Sunday, the Racine Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a fire in an upper apartment at 2328 Loni Lane, west of Highway 31, according to a Fire Department news release. Occupants were standing safely outside when firefighters arrived.

After arriving on scene, firefighters found an automatic fire sprinkler system spraying water from a single sprinkler head into the kitchen at the apartment, where a fire started on the stove top and had spread to the cabinets before the sprinkler system activated. A smoke alarm was sounding in the apartment.

Instead of battling what would most likely have been a fully involved apartment fire, firefighters had to merely turn off the main water control to the fire sprinkler system to stop further damage, Fire Department officials said.

The Red Cross was contacted to assist the four people in two apartments who were displaced due to the fire.

The tenants are expected to be able to return to their apartments within a few days.

The Fire Department said that lessons learned from the incident were:

  • Fire sprinklers likely saved tenants and an apartment building from a catastrophic fire loss.
  • Tenants involved in this fire did not have renter’s insurance, which would have helped protect them from the thousands of dollars of financial loss. Renter’s insurance also helps protect tenants from actions of neighbors, fire officials advised.
Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

La Crosse, WI – Fire sprinkler system keeps fire from spreading at downtown condo; No injuries reported

A sprinkler system and fast-acting firefighters keep a fire in a downtown La Crosse condo unit from spreading further Monday morning.

The La Crosse Fire Department was called to the Gateway Terrace Condominiums at 100 North 6th Street at 9:18 a.m. after a fire alarm was reported.

Crews found smoke and fire in one of the units.

Battalion Chief Jeff Schott said the sprinkler system in the condo was working properly and is believed to have kept the fire from spreading to other units.

The condo itself had moderate smoke, fire, and water damage according to Chief Schott.

Other condos in the building were also damaged by the water from the sprinkler system.

No one was injured in the incident.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Allouez, WI – Apartment closet fire put out by fire sprinklers

The Green Bay Metro Fire Department says 38 residents of an assisted-living facility were evacuated during a fire Friday evening.

The sheriff’s office tells us there was a fire in a resident’s room at Bishop’s Court on E. St. Joseph St. in Allouez. Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke in the hallways. The fire was in a closet in one of the apartments.

Five people were medically evaluated on the scene. Three were taken to a hospital for smoke inhlation: one staff member and two residents — including the resident of the apartment where the fire started. A battalion chief told us they should all be OK.

The battalion chief credited the sprinkler system in the facility for doing “a great job.”

The fire department says 60 residents are displaced temporarily while repairs are made to the fire suppression system. The fire department says some are being housed in another building at Bishop’s Court but some will have to be moved to other assisted-living facilities.

A report from the GBMFD says the cause of the fire was accidental but it doesn’t provide details. The estimated cost of damage to the property is $20,000.

Apartment Building, Residential

Janesville, WI – Sprinkler system extinguished closet fire at apartment

A major fire at a Janesville apartment building is avoided thanks to a working sprinkler system.

The Janesville Fire Department says firefighters were dispatched to a multi-family residence on the 200 block of North Franklin Street just before 9:30 Wednesday night.

Captain John McManus says a basket of clothing started on fire in a closet when the sprinklers kicked in and doused the flames.

McManus said the fire could have caused a lot of destruction had the sprinklers not worked. He estimated the building had about $1,000 in water damage from the sprinkler system.

About 10 to 12 people were displaced. The Red Cross helped the residents find overnight shelter.

The fire remains under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Appleton, WI – Apartment kitchen fire put out by fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

Officials credit a sprinkler system for limiting the spread of an Appleton apartment fire. Crews were called to the units along the 400-block of North Richmond Street around 6:00 this morning on the report of a water flow alarm. They found that a fire had started in the vent hood of a microwave–but was put out by the sprinklers. The apartment was vacant at the time and was being cleaned out. No one was hurt. Damage is estimated at 60-thousand dollars.