According to the Yuma Fire Department, at 5:30 a.m., crews were dispatched to a report of a “water flow alarm” in the 300 block of West 32nd Street. Upon arrival, crews found a large furniture store with heavy smoke and water exiting from the front door. Firefighters were able to enter the structure and extinguish the fire quickly.
It was discovered that a properly working fire sprinkler was able to prevent any further damage to the building and its contents, YFD said. No injuries were reported, and business operations were not disrupted.
“Fire sprinkler systems can keep fires from spreading and can also extinguish them. Fire spreads quickly and can double in size every minute. Even small fires can cause significant property damage and endanger those nearby. Contrary to many Hollywood portrayals, only sprinkler heads directly exposed to the heat activate, not those in the rest of the room, building, or complex,” YFD noted.
A YFD investigator discovered the fire’s area of origin was a shelf with lithium-ion batteries and a battery charging station, YFD said, noting “This is yet another call for service in which lithium-ion batteries have been involved.”
YFD offered the following battery charging tips:
Use the provided or approved charger for the battery
Do not use extension cords or overload surge protectors
Do not use damaged or deformed batteries
Keep batteries away from high temperatures, do not charge them if they are hot
Remove the battery from the unit when done charging and do not cover the battery
Do not keep batteries on a charger once the charging cycle is completed
Keep the battery away from other combustibles
Fire sprinkler systems save lives and property.
