Sprinkler system extinguishes apartment fire started by unattended smoking material (Republic, MO)

A sprinkler system extinguished a fire Saturday at an apartment complex in Republic that suffered major fire damage two years ago.  Republic city officials required the sprinkler system to be installed after the first fire in 2010 that caused  $600,000 in damage.  The fire on Saturday started on the deck of unit H-6 after someone left smoking materials unattended.  “This time we were lucky,” Compton said. “The sprinkler system put it out.”