Overnight fire at business contained by sprinkler system (Des Plaines, IL)

Sprinklers helped contain what could have been a much larger fire in a Des Plaines business building early Sunday morning. According to Fire Chief Alan Wax, firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the flames with the aid of automatic fire sprinklers in the building. No one was in the building when the fire broke out and no one was injured, Wax added. "There is a lesson here," said Wax. "This building was required to install fire sprinklers when it was remodeled about 15 years ago. The sprinklers definitely saved this building and the various occupancies within it." Wax added had the sprinklers not been activated, the fire could have advanced deep into the building's open wooden truss ceiling, further damaging the structure.