Tag Archives: Night (9pm-5am)

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Madison, WI – Sprinkler system activated for fire in 6-story building

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Crews were called to a fire at a Madison complex on Monday evening around 9:30pm.

Firefighters on Engine 3 responded to The Standard Madison apartment complex (1868 E. Washington Ave.), a mixed-use building. 911 was simultaneously alerted when the alarm monitoring company called in a water flow alarm and a resident said a fire alarm was sounding throughout the complex. It was upgraded to a full fire response after noticing heavy smoke coming from a bar that was under construction. They made entry and found a sprinkler was activated. Firefighters used a water can to complete extinguishment of the fire.

The building has businesses on the first level with apartments above.

It shows the importance of a working sprinkler system, even when a business is under construction.

“The sprinkler system did its job. The sprinkler head closest to the fire activated, contained the fire to the area of origin, notified the occupants of the building through the fire alarm system and notified Dane County 911 whom dispatched Madison Fire to the scene for final extinguishment and clean up.” said Fire Marshal Bill Sullivan.

The fire was caused by spontaneous combustion by improperly disposing of oil and stain-soaked clothing. No residents were displaced, and the other businesses were able to open as scheduled.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Almont, MI – Sprinkler system activated for fire at metal casting facility

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A two-alarm fire in the Almont Industrial Park brought firefighters from two Lapeer County fire departments to Aristo-Cast Metal Investment Casting, Inc. Monday. The Almont Fire Department responded to the initial call at 7400 Research Drive in Almont and promptly requested mutual aid from the Imlay City Fire Department. Almont Fire Chief Don Smith said his department was called at 4 a.m. Monday morning. According to Chief Smith, one of the ovens used to melt wax pellets malfunctioned and caught fire. He said the company’s sprinkler system activated and likely saved the building from being destroyed. Chief Smith said around 3,000 gallons of water was used by the two departments, in addition to the sprinkler system. One employee was treated for minor smoke inhalation. Almont First Responders and Lapeer County EMS also responded to the fire. Chief Smith said units cleared the scene by 6 a.m. 

Apartment Building, Residential

Battle Creek, MI – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex

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A fire ravaged three apartments in Battle Creek Saturday night, though the Battle Creek Fire Department confirmed there were no injuries.

According to reports by WZZM 13, the fire broke out at around 10:20 p.m. at an apartment building located at 111 West Street.

Upon arrival, smoke was observed in the hallway of the building.

The department’s investigation led to the discovery of a blaze that originated from a vent fan in a first-floor apartment, firefighters had to remove drywall from the ceiling to tackle the inferno.

“Crews pulled drywall from the ceiling to access the fire and put it out,” detailed the report by WZZM 13. The fire managed to extend its reach to the second floor, prompting the activation of a sprinkler system.

All residents were reported safe and, while the fire itself was contained, the aftermath saw disruption for the residents.

As noted by FOX 17, the American Red Cross stepped in to assist those who were unable to return to their apartments following the incident.

The repercussions of controlling the blaze included collateral damage; the apartments sustained fire-related harm and the water supply had to be cut to facilitate repairs of a damaged sprinkler reported MLive. Although the intrepid response from fire personnel contained the situation, residents faced the inconvenience of water outage.

The cause behind the harrowing event was identified as an “electrical shortage,” yet investigations continue, the Battle Creek Fire Department told reporters. The exact number of individuals displaced by the catastrophe has not been provided, but the quick response of emergency services prevented any physical injuries from being sustained.

Other - Residential, Residential

Marshalltown, IA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at veterans home; No injuries reported

The Marshalltown Fire Department was called to battle a small blaze on the fourth floor of the Dack Building on the Iowa Veterans Home campus Tuesday morning, but thankfully, no injuries were reported.

At 4:41 a.m., the MFD was dispatched to IVH for a fire alarm with smoke observed and sprinkler activation reported, according to a press release. Crews arrived to find light smoke and an active sprinkler in a room on the fourth floor of the Dack building.

One resident had been removed from the room prior to the fire department’s arrival. Residents were also evacuated from the wing and several rooms on the floor below.

Fire personnel, assisted by IVH staff, were able to control the sprinkler and did a brief overhaul of the room. It was found that a small fire involving an overheated electronic device as well as a basket, papers, and a window shade had set the sprinkler off and caused a moderate amount of smoke to spread throughout the wing.

Damage from the fire was contained to the room of origin however water from the sprinkler system contributed to damage on several floors. No injuries were reported. Fire personnel were on scene for approximately two hours and were assisted by the Marshalltown Police Department and IVH staff.

Mayor Joel Greer and Commandant Todd Jacobus were both highly complimentary of the fire department’s response to the situation, with Jacobus opining that the MFD “has a great team.” Anyone with questions is encouraged to contact the MFD at 641-754-5751.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Newark, DE – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at shopping center; No injuries reported

Fire damaged a recently renovated grocery store in Newark, filling the building with smoke and activating the sprinkler system late Sunday.

The fire was reported at approximately 10:45 p.m. at the Acme in The Grove at Newark, formerly known as College Square Shopping Center.

Firefighters arrived to find debris on fire in one of the aisles. The sprinkler system contained the fire, which was extinguished by firefighters.

The store was open at the time of the fire, but no one was injured.

Deputy Chief A.J. Schall said there was damage to one aisle and likely smoke and water damage throughout the store.

The state fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire, though reports from scene indicated that two juveniles ignited paper towels and then ran out of the store.

The fire came just weeks after Acme completed substantial renovations to the store, including new refrigerator cases, new flooring and a new floral department.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Aurora, IL – Sprinkler system controls fire near building’s loading dock; No injuries reported

A fire in a strip mall store near Fox Valley Mall in Aurora last Wednesday was contained before it could spread to other buildings, officials said.

At around 10 p.m., the Aurora Fire Department responded to the fire after it was called in by an employee of the store, which is located in the 4300 block of Fox Valley Center Drive, according to a news release from the fire department.

When firefighters arrived, they found the fire in the back of the building near a loading dock, but it was being controlled by the building’s sprinkler system and had not spread to nearby stores, the release said. The remaining fire was then put out, officials said.

All employees had evacuated the building before firefighters arrived, and no one was hurt in the fire, according to the release.

Four engine companies, two truck companies, two medic units and three chief officers responded to the fire, the release said.

According to officials, the fire remains under investigation by the Aurora Fire Department’s Fire Investigation Team.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Portland, ME – Sprinkler system activated for fire at community college

A fire broke out early Friday morning at Southern Maine Community College, but the South Portland Fire Department says a sprinkler system prevented major damage.

Fire crews responded to SMCC just after midnight following an alert from the campus fire alarm system.

They found the college’s automatic sprinkler system had activated, containing the flames in the SeaWolves Café, the department posted on Facebook. The fire did not extend beyond the initially ignited contents.

Without the automatic activation of the sprinklers, South Portland Fire Chief Phil Selberg said damage to the building could have been substantial.

“This fire occurred in the middle of the night when no one was in the building to discover it,” he said in a statement. “The sprinkler system worked as it was designed and saved the Campus Center.”

Due to the location of the campus, the Cape Elizabeth Fire Department automatically responded. The cause of the fire was found to be accidental, but more details were not released.

Manufacturing, Other - Manufacturing

Campbellsville, KY – Sprinkler system activated for forklift on fire at commercial building; No injuries reported

The run was upgraded to a working fire and additional units were dispatched from mutual aid departments due to the size and contents of the building, after entering the structure firefighters found a forklift on fire and water flow from the buildings sprinkler system.
Units extinguished the fire, checked for any extension and ventilated the structure. Fire damage was contained to the area of the fire by the sprinkler system. No injuries reported.
College/University (on campus), Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential, School / University

Madison, WI – Sprinkler system activated for fire on university campus

The Madison Fire Department reported an automatic sprinkler prevented further damage to a building on UW-Madison’s campus overnight.

Spokesperson Cynthia Schuster said firefighters were dispatched to 30 East Campus Mall at 12:33 a.m. for a fire alarm activation. Schuster said no one was around to report the fire to 911.

Upon arrival, firefighters were met by members of the UW-Madison Police Department and UW Security.

The crew entered the building and noticed an odor of smoke. The odor was followed to a wood workshop, where the crew found the room full of smoke and an automatic fire sprinkler activated.

Beneath the active sprinkler was a burned-up garbage can and its contents on the floor. Just one sprinkler head activated, but it extinguished the fire and prevented the fire from spreading, according to Schuster.

Damage from the fire is estimated at about $2,000. Damage was contained to some paint cans, a portable electric sander, cabinets and other items.

Firefighters moved the burned items outside, ventilated the area, and turned off the fire sprinkler system.

With the sprinkler systems temporarily shut down, UW Security provided fire watch until a responsible party returned to the building.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Syracuse, NY – Sprinkler system activated for fire on 20th floor of hotel; No injuries reported

Firefighters responded in big numbers to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Syracuse Wednesday evening.

Around 9 p.m., Syracuse Firefighters were dispatched to investigate a fire alarm activation at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 701 East Genesee Street, in downtown Syracuse.

When firefighters arrived on the scene moments later, they found an active alarm in the building, indicating a fire sprinkler activation on the 20th floor. Firefighters also noticed water leaking from elevator shafts on the first floor, and a faint odor of smoke in the lobby. The incident commander at the scene immediately requested the alarm be upgraded from an alarm investigation response.

The water leaking into the elevators had caused them to become disabled, and unusable, on the first floor. As additional crews of firefighters arrived at the scene, they began moving equipment and personnel up to the 20th floor via the stairwells to investigate. As crews neared the top, they encountered a worsening smoke condition, and eventually found fire on the 20th floor.

Teams of firefighters searched the 20th floor for any trapped occupants as other teams of firefighters connected hoses to the building’s standpipe system to fight the fire. It was quickly determined that the 20th floor, an open-plan event space frequently used for large gatherings, was empty. The fire was located and extinguished.

A sprinkler head nearby had activated as designed and held the flames in check. Crews also checked the floor below the fire, as smoke that filled the 20th floor had begun to affect the 19th floor. Incident commanders requested a ‘second alarm,’ bringing additional personnel and resources to the scene.

With the bulk of the fire knocked down, crews shifted to a ventilation operation. This involved bringing in large, powerful fans to remove smoke and other products of combustion from the affected floors.

The 20th floor sustained fire, smoke, and water damage. Syracuse Fire Investigators were at the scene working to determine the exact origin and cause of the fire. That investigation is ongoing.

Firefighters worked to protect belongings and property in the affected area, using large tarps to divert water away. No one was injured.

Hotel staff are working with fire officials to ensure any guests displaced by the fire and subsequent fire suppression operations are accommodated.