Tag Archives: Alberta

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Airdrie, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system controls fire at large manufacturing facility; No injuries reported

In the evening on Saturday, August 5, at approximately 6:31 p.m., the Airdrie Fire Department received a call regarding a large manufacturing facility engulfed in heavy interior smoke at 700 Block Eastlake Road.

According to a city release, the fire was controlled with the assistance of the building’s sprinkler system and extinguished by firefighters on arrival.

“All employees were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported. The roof was also checked for possible damage.”

20 firefighters were on the scene from the Airdrie Fire Department, assisted by Rocky View County.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Fire Prevention Bureau and damages will be estimated by the Airdrie Fire Department.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Red Deer, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire at tire store; No injuries reported

Red Deer Emergency Services (RDES) are currently investigating a fire that took place Wednesday night at the north-end Canadian Tire store.

Curtis Schaefer, Assistant Deputy Chief for the City’s RDES, says the call came in at around 8:30 p.m. on April 5.

A total of 19 firefighters were on scene with three fire engines, a ladder, a command vehicle and an ambulance.

When crews arrived, he says smoke wasn’t seen escaping the building (6380 -50 Ave) but firefighters were able to see smoke inside the store from the front doors. He says crews got in quickly and found the seat of the fire, its origin, in the seasonal section of the store.

Making their initial fire attack, Schaefer says crews went back out to bring more hose lines but the fire grew, activating the sprinkler system. While the sprinklers controlled the fire from spreading, he says crews ventilated the building to ensure there was no other damage or fire going on in the building at the same time, before knocking out the fire completely.

“With the combination of the fire and the sprinklers, the entire building became full of smoke,” he said. “Once the fire was out completely and the sprinklers were shut off, the time was spent ventilating the building. It’s a very large structure with a large amount of smoke in it.”

Crews were on scene for approximately four hours, he says.

The cause of the fire is under investigation but Schaefer says the belief is that it may be suspicious, leading RCMP to assist them Thursday morning.

As the store’s closing hour was 9 p.m., he says all employees and customers were successfully evacuated when fire crews came on scene. No injuries were reported.

No damage was caused to other properties and the fire was contained to just the store’s seasonal area, but Schaefer says water and smoke damage spread across the entirety of the Canadian Tire.

“When we have fires inside large commercial buildings like this, the challenge is just the size. It’s difficult for our crews to get access to the seat of the fire and basically the size of the building and the amount of material in the building can cause challenges for our crews to get to the seat of the fire and put it out quickly,” he said.

Investigators and a property restoration company were on scene Thursday morning.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Airdrie, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire in restaurant

A fire broke out at Moody’s Mediterranian Restaurant late in the evening on Wednesday, Feb. 1, but the building’s sprinkler system thankfully prevented it from spreading, saving the restaurant and other businesses located in the commercial building. 

The Airdrie Fire Department (AFD) received notification of the sprinkler system going off at about 11:28 p.m. on February 1, when all businesses in the buildings had closed and everyone had gone home. 

Crews had to forcibly enter the restaurant, which is located on the bottom floor of a two-story commercial building. 

They encountered heavy smoke and limited visibility, but soon were able to determine that a single overhead sprinkler had extinguished most of the fire and prevented it from spreading. 

AFD deputy chief Garth Rabel said the building’s sprinkler system fulfilled its exact purpose. 

“The sprinkler system did exactly what it is supposed to do. It was a single sprinkler head over the site of the fire,” said Rabel. 

“When it activated, that sets off a monitored system that activated the 9-1-1 system that got us on the way to the call,” he said. 

“This was a single sprinkler head over the site of the fire that held it in check until our team could get there. That’s exactly how a good commercial fire ops works.” 

While the business will require repairs from both the fire and likely water from the sprinkler, Rabel said the sprinkler was what kept the building safe. 

“The true damage is without a sprinkler system, when the fire is able to take hold. That’s where huge damage happens,” he said. 

“Sprinkler systems don’t damage buildings, they save them.” 

Crews extinguished what remained, and then went to work venting the smoke, using a thermal imaging camera to make sure that the fire didn’t affect other parts of the building. 

Moody’s is now closed for the foreseeable future while they work with the Fire Prevention Bureau and their insurance company, but all other businesses in the building were able to return to operations the following day. 

“The team ensured that it stayed compartmentalized. Everything stayed within that one business,” said Rabel. 

“The team checked the rest of the building for any extension of fire or smoke and found nothing.” 

12 firefighters in total were on-scene for the situation, including members from all three local fire stations and a platoon chief. 

The entire response took about three-and-a-half hours, with crews remaining on scene until about 2 a.m. 

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Lethbridge, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at processing plant

​At approximately 9:25 p.m. Saturday, January 14, five stations responded to 2200 block of 31 Street North after reports of a fire in a commercial processing plant. 

On arrival, crews found staff had exited the building and reported that the fire inside had been extinguished by the sprinkler system and staff. 

Two crews remained on scene to assist with smoke evacuation and sprinkler shut down.

The fire is under investigation and there is no estimate of damage at this time.

Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Calgary, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system extinguishes car fire at condo building parkade

Residents were evacuated from a 25-unit condo building in the city’s northeast Tuesday morning after a car went up in flames in the underground parkade.

Firefighters were called to the building in the 7000 block of 80th Avenue N.E. at around 8:45 a.m.

The building’s sprinkler system extinguished the fire but residents were displaced due to smoke and carbon monoxide concerns.

As of 10 a.m., ventilation of the building was underway and fire officials expected residents would be permitted to return in short time.

A Calgary Transit bus provided shelter to some of the displaced while others entered a neighbouring building within the complex for a reprieve from the frigid weather.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Airdrie, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire in commercial building; No injuries reported

On Monday afternoon, September 26, Airdrie’s fire department received a call at 4:04 p.m. for a structure fire in Highland Park Green NE.

“On arrival, fire crews found fire in a large, commercial refuse container near the loading door of a commercial building. A nearby closed overhead door was damaged due to its proximity to the fire but prevented the blaze from spreading to the inside of the building,” stated a city press release.

A single fire sprinkler head inside was activated by heat and smoke and crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire and turn off the water to the building’s sprinkler system.

No injuries were reported and the fire is being investigated by the Fire Prevention Bureau. A total of four fire apparatus and 12 firefighters were on the scene.

Apartment Building, Residential

Lethbridge, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at four story apartment complex; No injuries reported

Around $75,000 worth of damage was done thanks to a fire in a four-storey apartment complex in the city on Friday night.

Lethbridge Fire and EMS officials say they got to the scene on Highlands Boulevard West approximately 8:30, and were met with a majority of residents already evacuated, and smoke showing from the third story on the north east side of the complex.

The building’s sprinkler system had extinguished the fire, and crews were able to quickly search all other floors and determine there was no risk to the rest of the building.

No one was injured as a result of the fire, and all but two of the apartments were able to safely house residents again, with the buildings fire suppression system intact and smoke alarm system fully operational.

The investigation into the cause of the fire remains ongoing.

Apartment Building, Residential

Airdrie, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire in four-story apartment building; No injuries reported

A four-story apartment building caught fire on June 1 at 5 p.m. in Canals Crossing, located in southwest Airdrie. No injuries have been reported at this time.

Although no details have been released yet about what caused the fire, a press release from the City of Airdrie stated the fire originated in one suite and resulted in an emergency evacuation of the building. 

The building’s sprinkler system extinguished the fire before Airdrie Fire Department crews arrived on the scene. However, units in the building have been severely damaged by the water from the sprinkler system. 

The Crossfield Fire Department provided standby resources to the nine Airdrie Fire Department firefighters who were deployed to the call. 

The Fire Prevention Bureau will be conducting an investigation to discover the cause of the fire, according to the City’s press release. 

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Calgary, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system extinguishes hotel fire; No injuries reported

The Calgary Fire Department responded to a fire at a hotel early Saturday morning.

Officials say crews were called to the Riviera Hotel at 3535 26 Ave. N.E. just before 7 a.m., finding smouldering furniture in a storage area.

The fire was knocked down by the hotel’s sprinkler system.

The hotel was evacuated as a precaution as crews ventilated the area and Calgary Transit buses provided shelter for the roughly 100 people forced out of their rooms.

No injuries resulted from the small fire and the hotel’s guests have since returned to their rooms.

The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time and investigators remain on scene.

Apartment Building, Residential

Medicine Hat, AB, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

Update: The Medicine Hat Fire Service says residents residing at the Toronto Street Apartments have been taken to a local hotel, after their building sustained extensive water damage following a structure fire Saturday afternoon.

Crews were called to the area just after 4p.m. Saturday.

“On arrival there was smoke coming from a set of patio doors on the fourth floor. The first arriving crew, gained access quickly, and with the assistance of the sprinkler system in the building, the fire was extinguished quickly,” said Kevin Heinrich with the Medicine Hat Fire Service.

No one was hurt in the blaze.

Members of the Medicine Hat Fire Service were called out to the Toronto street apartments Saturday afternoon to battle a structure fire.

Photos submitted to CHAT News, and videos on social media appear to show smoke coming out of a top-floor apartment unit.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this point. A fire investigator remains on scene.

Portions of 3rd street were blocked off from traffic as fire crews worked to put out the blaze.

EMS and the Medicine Hat Police Service were also on scene.

CHAT News has reached out to the Medicine Hat Fire Service for more details.

As of 5p.m. the Medicine Hat Fire Service remains on scene.

More to come.