Tag Archives: Wisconsin

Adult Care/Rehab Center, Hospital/Care Facility

Slinger, WI – Fire sprinkler system puts out fire caused by malfunctioning heating unit at rehabilitation center; No injuries reported

There was a bit of smoke and a minor fire at The Pavilion at Glacier Valley, 1900 American Eagle Drive, on Monday afternoon.

Slinger Police Captain Joshua Gullickson said the initial call came in at 4:20 p.m.

The call was for a sprinkler system activation. “When officers arrived smoke was visible but no flames,” said Gullickson. “Slinger Fire Department was dispatched to the scene and the cause of the sprinkler activation was an overheat malfunction of a heating unit in one wing of the facility.”

Gullickson said residents were moved to a different part of the building.

No injuries were reported to residents, staff or emergency responders.

The Pavilion is described as “short-term rehabilitation, respite and long-term care.”

Food Processing, Manufacturing

Watertown, WI – Fire sprinklers put out fire at chocolate manufacturer before fire department arrived

Clasen Quality Chocolate, 420 E. Horseshoe Road, started off the new year in a unique way Wednesday.

At 1:22 p.m., the Watertown Fire Department responded to a call for a structure fire at the factory. According to Watertown Fire Chief Kraig Biefeld, the blaze started when a box full of products caught on fire, but the fire was limited to just the box. Sprinklers put it out before units arrived.

“The sprinkler system did its job. That’s why we advocate the use of sprinklers in buildings,” Biefeld said.

The fire department sent the on-duty crew and Biefeld, who went to the call, said with the fire out, the crew went to make sure the fire was out and to ventilate the building.

Mutual aid was initially called, but was quickly called off, according to Biefeld.

Clasen Quality Chocolate produces a variety of chocolate coatings of different colors, flavors and sizes as well as 20 different varieties of chocolate and numerous fillings and spreads.

According to the company website, Clasen Quality Chocolate, “has transitioned from a small, regional compound coating manufacturer to a major supplier of both standard and customized formulations and value-added, confectionery ingredients across North America” and has facilities in Watertown, Middleton with corporate offices and the company innovation center in Madison.

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison, WI – Parking garage fire quickly put out by fire sprinklers

Dozens of people are displaced after an apartment in Madison lost power and the property manager says it could take up to nearly a week to repair.

The Ovation 309 building located on 309 Johnson Street in Madison had a fire in the parking garage Tuesday that was quickly put out by the sprinkler system, according to a Madison Fire Department Public Information Officer. They did not release the cause of the fire.

NBC15 obtained an email sent to Ovation residents Wednesday from the property manager.

The email stated an electrical component was damaged and caused the outage. It also stated “general and electrical contractors have been on-site all morning working hard to restore power.”

According to the email, the “best case scenario” is the issue will be repaired in two days. However, if parts are unavailable, power loss could extend to nearly a week.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Glendale, WI – Fire contained to maintenance closet on third floor of motel thanks to fire sprinklers; No injuries reported

A Motel 6 in Glendale caught fire Tuesday morning, Dec. 17. Thankfully, the building’s fire sprinklers did their job. 

The alarm came at about 11 a.m., sending the North Shore Fire Department to the motel on Port Washington Road. 

Everybody inside the building was evacuated; some of them elderly and some in wheelchairs. 

The fire was confined to a maintenance closet on the third floor and the sprinkler system helped crews control the fire quickly. 

“Unfortunately one of the things that comes with fire sprinklers is a lot of water, because they’re doing their job to put the fire out. So we’re dealing with a lot of water damage. Not a ton of fire damage, it’s just primarily contained to that affected room,” said Capt. Dan Tyk, North Shore Fire and Rescue. 

One occupant of the hotel reported a minor injury that occurred while evacuating the building. She was evaluated by paramedics on scene and declined transportation to a hospital. There were no other injuries reported.

Fire and smoke damage is minimal, but there is extensive water damage on all three floors due to the activation of the fire sprinkler system.  

The preliminary damage is estimated around $100,000. 

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation by North Shore Fire/Rescue and the Glendale Police Department.

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison, WI – Fire sprinklers stop dumpster fire in underground residential parking garage

A dumpster fire that ignited inside an underground residential parking garage was put to a stop by an automatic fire sprinkler early Saturday morning.

Just after 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, engine Co. 3 responded to the Carbon Apartments on Winnebago Street to investigate a general fire alarm.
Several tenants approached firefighters as they arrived to tell them there’s smoke coming from one of the doors of the underground parking garage.

The crew entered the garage and found an automatic sprinkler activated.

Underneath was a dumpster where a fire occurred. The fire was already extinguished and had not spread beyond its area of origin.

Hospital/Care Facility, Other - Hospital/Medical

Madison, WI – Fire sprinkler activation contains fire to dehumidifier; No injuries reported

A recalled appliance at a Madison assisted care home malfunctioned Monday afternoon, causing a fire, officials said. 

The Madison Fire Department said crews were notified of a problem at 7710 S. Brookline Drive at 3:07 p.m. after an automatic fire sprinkler activated, sending an alarm to Dane County 911 Public Safety Communications Center.

The sprinkler kept the fire contained, which allowed on-site staff to deploy a fire extinguisher and put it out, the fire department said. Firefighters were directed to the location of the fire and found a heavily damaged dehumidifier.

The dehumidifier in use was an older model that had several recalls, fire officials said. A drainage tube attached to the collection tank allowed the dehumidifier to run without interruption.

The fire department said that although the fire produced a lot of smoke, damage was confined to the dehumidifier, and there were no injuries or displaced occupants because the automatic sprinkler caught the fire right away. 

The fire department said crews have responded to a number of fires involving dehumidifiers that were recalled, were older models or were simply left to run constantly for indefinite periods of time.

“It is unsafe to allow your dehumidifier to run uninterrupted,” fire officials said. “Homeowners and occupants should use the proper collection tank which, when full, will prompt the dehumidifier to stop running until the tank can be emptied.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Brookfield, WI – (No media coverage) Single sprinkler head contains kitchen fire in apartment building

On Friday, August 16th, the City of Brookfield Fire Department responded to a building fire at 925 Plum Ct. City of Brookfield firefighters arrived at the 4-unit, two story apartment building to find a fire in the kitchen in apartment 202. According to Deputy Chief Matt Erdmann, the fire “was basically extinguished by activation of one sprinkler head positioned near the stovetop/range.” You can contact Deputy Chief Matt Erdmann of the City of Brookfield Fire Department for more information.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Fond du Lac, WI – Fire at local business quickly contained thanks to sprinkler system; No injuries reported

A sprinkler system saved a downtown Fond du Lac business from serious fire damage early this morning. According to a news release from Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue, firefighters were called to the business at 88 South Main Street around 1:30 AM for a report of a sprinkler system being activated. Fire crews found the sprinkler system flowing at one location inside the building – and the fire was quickly contained thanks to the system.

The fire did not extend to other areas of the building, and firefighters began ventilating smoke from the business. The release says the cause of the fire is unknown at this time, and Fond du Lac Police will conduct a follow up and continue the investigation into the cause. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

Apartment Building, Residential

Madison, WI – Fire sprinkler system helps put out mattress fire; No injuries reported

A man who said he was, “trying to put out bed bugs with a cigarette,” accidentally started a mattress on fire Thursday in a west side hotel.

Firefighters responded to the hotel overnight for a report of a mattress on fire in one of the rooms, according to a Madison Fire Department incident report.

Guest were evacuated as firefighters responded.

As firefighters entered the hotel, a manager notified them that the mattress had already been brought outside. They went outside to ensure the mattress was fully extinguished.

Upon returning inside, a significant amount of smoke was still lingering in the third floor hallway. Firefighters set up fans to ventilate the interior as they pieced together what happened.

A guest at the hotel explained to firefighters that he was “trying to put out bed bugs with a cigarette,” when the mattress caught fire. The fire then activated an automatic sprinkler.

Firefighters remained on scene until several rooms impacted by the smoke were fully cleared. Nobody was injured during the incident.