Apartment Building, Residential

New Orleans, LA – Sprinkler system contains arson fire at apartment building

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New Orleans police are searching for a middle-aged man suspected of setting fire to an apartment in the Iberville neighborhood late Saturday, resulting in one injury.

According to the New Orleans Fire Department, firefighters responded to a 911 call at 11:43 p.m. about a fire at 1570 Conti Street. Nineteen firefighters arrived in seven units and found light smoke and minor fire damage throughout the apartment. The building’s sprinkler system had mostly contained the flames by the time firefighters arrived, and the fire was under control by 11:55 p.m., the NOFD said.

A man was taken to University Medical Center to be treated for minor smoke inhalation. The injured man told authorities that a friend, also middle-aged, set the apartment on fire after an argument. New Orleans police have identified the suspect, who is wanted on an aggravated arson charge, and are actively searching for him.

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Residential

Phoenix, AZ – Sprinkler system activated for fire at university; No injuries reported

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An unknown number of Grand Canyon University students were displaced after a fire broke out at a mid-rise residential building near the school Sunday morning.

Cpt. Shaun DuBois, a spokesperson for Phoenix fire, said firefighters were dispatched to the six-story building at around 9:30 a.m. after a fire alarm went off on the building’s third floor. DuBois said firefighters who first arrived at the scene did not see any smoke or flames from the outside but quickly accessed the third floor where they saw smoke in the hallway.

DuBois added that the building’s fire sprinklers had activated and successfully kept the fire in check as firefighters fully extinguished the fire.

“The combination of fire sprinkler activation and quick actions by firefighters prevented further damage and fire extension into the structure,” DuBois said in a statement. “Occupants were alerted by fire alarms and had evacuated the building prior to fire department arrival.”

DuBois said there were no reported injuries related to the fire. Staff with the department’s community assistance program are working with GCU staff to support the students who would be temporarily displaced, although it was not immediately known how many students would be impacted or for how long.

Apartment Building, Residential

Mountain View, CA – Sprinkler system activated for laundry room fire at apartment complex

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Residents of a Mountain View apartment complex were forced to evacuate yesterday afternoon when a fire broke out in the building’s laundry room. According to a social media post from the City of Mountain View Fire Department, the emergency call occurred at 3:51 p.m. from the 800 block of N Rengstorff Avenue. All tenants managed to leave the building unharmed before the arrival of the fire crew.

The first engine company reached the scene within three minutes of dispatch, encountering smoke on the third floor and heavy smoke in the laundry room. With the laundry room’s sprinkler system already engaged due to the heat from the blaze, firefighters were tasked with ceasing the water flow, ensuring the fire had not spread, and starting the overhaul process.

Authorities stated that the active sprinkler system aided the fire’s quick containment, which effectively isolated the flames to the laundry room. “Firefighters discontinued the water flow from the sprinklers, confirmed there was no fire extension into the building,” noted the Fire Department’s post. Salvaging operations were initiated to minimize water damage to affected areas, including two second-floor apartments directly beneath the laundry room.

The cause of the fire, which was successfully extinguished without injuries, was a clothes dryer that overheated due to lint accumulation. The Fire Department estimated the damages to the building and contents amounted to $40,000. During the incident, the Mountain View Police Department temporarily closed a lane on N Rengstorff Avenue to facilitate fire unit operations.

As a reminder for residents, the City of Mountain View Fire Department pointed to guidance from the National Fire Protection Association on dryer safety: “The NFPA recommends that your dryer be installed and serviced by a professional, never use a dryer without a lint filter, clean the lint filter after each load of laundry and ensure the air exhaust vent pipe is not restricted when the dryer is operating.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Cross Lanes, WV – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

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A fire inside an apartment building was quickly put out Wednesday morning.

It happened about 4:30 a.m. in Cross Lanes.

The Nitro Fire Department said it happened at Cross Lanes Unity Apartments.

Firefighters said the sprinkler system put out the fire.

All 27 people inside were forced to leave the building. No one was injured.

Most of those were able to go back in once the building was ventilated.

The Nitro fire chief said the sprinkler system probably saved lives.

Firefighters said the fire started when someone in one of the apartments was smoking while in bed.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Bradford, ON, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for apartment fire at senior complex

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One person was transported to hospital for precautionary reasons following a fire at a Bradford seniors complex Monday night.

Bradford Fire and Emergency Services crews were called to 100 Miller Park Ave. shortly after 10 p.m. They arrived on scene to find a fire in the bedroom of a third-floor unit.

The department says there was one person in the apartment and they were taken by County of Simcoe paramedics to hospital.

“Sprinklers helped contain the fire to the room of origin,” Fire Chief Michael Rozario said Tuesday morning. “There is water damage in several units below.”

The affordable-housing complex is operated by the Simcoe County Housing Corporation, a division of the County of Simcoe.

Rozario says affected residents are receiving support from the county.

County social housing director Brad Spiewak says water from the sprinkler system damaged three other units, but no residents were displaced.

“Our building fire systems were immediately activated containing the fire to one unit,” he said. “One resident stayed offsite to allow for further cleanup. Social services staff were on-site until Tuesday morning for clean up and to ensure the safety of all residents and work continues today and into this week. All efforts are being made to move affected residents back into their unit as quickly as possible.

“Thankfully, no residents reported serious injury.”

Apartment Building, Residential

Dilworth, MN – Sprinkler system activated for overnight fire at apartment complex

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Multiple fire crews from Moorhead and Dilworth responded to an apartment fire early Tuesday Morning.

Fire officials say crews responded to an apartment complex in the 1600 Block of 3 Ave NW just before 1:30 a.m.

Fire officials say the fire was near a window of an apartment. One window broke due to the heat of the fire but officials say thanks to the sprinkler system the fire was contained to one area and didn’t spread.

The total extent of damage is unknown at this time. The investigation has now been turned over to Dilworth Police as they work to locate the resident of the apartment.

Grocery Store / Super Center, Retail

Rosemont, IL – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at Target

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Charges have been filed in an arson at a Target store in northwest suburban Rosemont.

Flames broke out just before noon this past Thursday at the Target at 7000 Mannheim Rd. next to the Allstate Arena.

Store employees tried to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived, and multiple sprinkler heads started up.

The Rosemont Public Safety Department and several local fire departments responded to the scene, and found the fire near the diaper aisle. Everyone in the building left, and no one had to be hospitalized.

However, the store sustained major damage due to smoke, fire, and water used to put out the fire. Smoke damage extended beyond the area of the fire to include most of the store, police said.

Merchandise worth $1.5 million was lost, police said.

Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Division 20 Arson investigators, the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Rosemont police detectives launched an investigation right away. A suspect was quickly identified and tracked down in Elk Grove Village, police said.

Denny Ellis, 56, of Nevada, was charged on Saturday with aggravated arson. He made his first court appearance on Sunday, and was being held by the Cook County Sheriff’s office.

The Target remained closed as of Sunday due to damage inside and cleanup.

On Sept. 28, 2023, a fire was set inside the Target store at 1 S. State St. in the Loop. Sprinklers put out the fire at the downtown Target.

In that incident, Ronald Langley was charged with aggravated arson. According to court records, Langley was caught on video taking a can of WD-40 and lighting a blanket on fire on the second floor of the store.

Apartment Building, Residential

Kelowna, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for fire on fifth floor apartment deck

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An apartment building’s sprinkler system kept a minor fire on a fifth floor deck from expanding early Friday morning.

Just before 6 a.m. on Oct. 18, the Kelowna Fire Department (KFD) responded to a call for a structure fire at a six-story apartment building in the 800 block of Leon Avenue. When the initial crew arrived at the scene, no smoke or flames could be seen from the apartment’s exterior.

Upon further review, a small fire was found on a fifth floor deck. The sprinkler system kept the fire from expanding and crews extinguished the rest of the blaze.

The building’s fire alarm went off and everyone evacuated safely. After the blaze was doused, everyone was able to go back to their homes. No one was injured and one person was treated for minor smoke inhalation.

KFD has deemed the fire accidental and it’s no longer under investigation. They responded with three engines, one rescue unit, one ladder truck, and one command unit, totaling 18 fire personnel.

Other - Residential, Residential

Quesnel, BC, Canada – Sprinkler system activated at housing center

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Four people were rescued from a fire at the Bridges Supportive Housing building in Quesnel this (Wednesday) afternoon.

The Quesnel Volunteer Fire Department was called to Elliott Street just before 2 o’clock.

We spoke with Fire Chief Ron Richert on the scene.

“Upon arrival we had a room on the second floor that had an active fire and heavy smoke. Crews were able to act quick and get that person, we had one person transported to G.R. Baker, they were rescued out of the building quite quickly. We did have three people on the third floor that were rescued, and the remaining occupants were quickly evacuated out of the building.”

Richert says the sprinkler system helped to suppress most of the fire, although he says there is some damage.

“We do have quite a bit of water damage on the first and second floors.”

Richert says they had a very quick response from the fire department, BC Ambulance, and the RCMP.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Other - Retail, Retail

Mountain Home, AR – Sprinkler system activated for fire at hardware store

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A fire at Marchant Building Center on Wednesday night resulted in the complete destruction of a mini skid steer.

According to the Mountain Home Fire Department, the fire began Wednesday night at approximately 5:49 in the front warehouse of the facility attached to the main building. The fire caused the sprinkler system to activate, but water damage was kept to a minimum. Fire damage was confined to the skid steer, with little to no smoke damage affecting the surrounding structure.

Thirteen firefighters, including personnel from two engine companies, two ladder trucks, one rescue vehicle, and two support vehicles, responded to the scene. Crews worked for about two hours to extinguish the fire. The cause of the blaze is currently under investigation.

Marchant Building Center remains open for normal business hours.

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