Fire sprinklers credited with extinguishing hotel fire (Kiawah Island, SC)

Guests who were staying at the Sanctuary Hotel were evacuated when a fire began in the hotel's storage room. The sprinkler system extinguished the fire keeping the damage to that single room. No injuries were reported.  

"Fire sprinklers have proven themselves yet again as an invaluable tool to improve property and life safety," said Fire Marshal Mike Julazadeh. "A single fire sprinkler head activated and controlled the fire until the fire department arrived."

Apartment fire eliminated by fire sprinklers (Cranston, RI)

Fire sprinklers quickly extinguished the fire that broke out on the sixth floor of an apartment building. No injuries were reported. ***Blog Editor's Note - Please let us know what you think of the coverage by WPRI.com and journalist John Mitchell, who focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system. ***

Fire sprinklers contain apartment fire (Charleston, SC)

After a cooking fire broke out in an apartment in downtown Charleston, the resident tried to douse it without success. The unit's fire sprinkler was then triggered and kept the fire in check until fire crews arrived to put out the remaining flames. 

Fire Marshall Mike Julazadeh said, "The fire sprinkler system is a critical component in the life safety system of this property. In this case, a single fire sprinkler head operated and controlled the fire event until the fire department could arrive and mitigate any remaining hazards." 

Arson fire at furniture store put out by fire sprinklers (Marion, IA)

An early morning fire that brought police officers and fire crews to the scene was limited to the furniture store's office and storage area thanks to the building's fire sprinklers. Police are reporting that the store's front door was damaged leading them to believe that the fire was deliberately set. No injuries have been reported.

Warehouse fire limited thanks to fire sprinklers (Somerset, PA)

A fire that broke out in an electronic recycling warehouse caused 30 fire firefighters from four county fire departments to respond. They arrived to find a small fire which was limited due to the warehouse's fire sprinklers.

“Basically the sprinkler system knocked down the fire,” reported Somerset First Leutenant Bart Close. “We took about 10 more minutes to finish the knockdown.”

There was minimal damage to the building, and no one was reported injured.

Fire sprinklers prove worth in multiple house fire (Carolina Forest, SC)

A fire that destroyed 26 buildings on Saturday was not able to demolish a couple of buildings that had fire sprinklers installed in them. The factors contributing to the enormity of the fire were the pine straw that surrounded all of the buildings and the high winds that evening.

Horry County Fire Chief Fred Crosby stated, "There were two buildings that had sprinklers. They were built after the fire code had changed and required it. The other buildings were built before it was required. And those two buildings are left standing."

No injuries were reported.

Fire sprinklers prove worth in apartment kitchen fire (Petaluma, CA)

Fire sprinklers quickly extinguished the evening fire that occurred on the top floor of an apartment building. Investigators reported that a youth was attempting to cook up illegal narcotics when some of the ingredients caught fire. The young man suffered some minor burns, and no one else was injured.

Multi-family residence kitchen fire extinguished by fire sprinklers (Lake Havasu City, AZ)

A cooking fire that broke out in a multi-family residence was quickly eliminated by the unit's fire sprinkler system. The fire crew that arrived to the afternoon incident reported that the occupants were able to escape the unit unharmed.

Fire sprinklers keep fire from spreading in medical equipment building (Las Vegas, NV)

A fire that began in one of the scooters that was housed in a medical supply business was limited thanks to the building's fire sprinklers. Fire crews arrived to douse the remainder of the fire. No injuries were reported.

Sprinkler system extinguishes dumpster fire at senior center (Juneau, AK)

A fire in a dumpster prompted firefighters to respond to the adult day care service at about 9:45 a.m. Saturday morning, but a sprinkler system extinguished the flames before they arrived. “They worked as they’re supposed to,” said Capital City Fire/Rescue Firefighter John Krebsbach, the shift captain at the downtown station at the time. “That’s why they’re there.” He speculated one of the residents probably dumped an ashtray with hot embers down the garbage chute, eventually catching fire.

Two structural fires are controlled by fire sprinklers (McKinney, TX)

Two fires that occurred recently had two items in common -- fire sprinklers were in place and minimal structural damage occurred. The first fire, which took place in an apartment kitchen, was contained by a single fire sprinkler. A dry cleaning store sustained the other fire after business hours, and two fire sprinklers helped to control the fire until fire crews came. Fire Marshall Andrew Barr further emphasized fire sprinklers value when he said, "These two successful sprinkler saves demonstrate the effectiveness of automatic fire sprinkler systems in two very different environments - an apartment complex and a commercial building. Had a sprinkler system, or automatic fire suppression system, not been present in either building, the outcome may have been very different."

Fire sprinklers extinguish condominium fire (Honolulu, HI)

A fire which started in the kitchen of a condominium was completely put out by the building's fire sprinklers. One person was in the unit sleeping at the time, and no one was reported injured.

Fire on college campus put out by fire sprinklers (Piscataway, NJ)

Fire sprinklers extinguished a fire in the academic building of Rutgers University. The afternoon fire, which was deemed as accidental, was eliminated by one sprinkler by the time fire crews arrived.

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

Fire sprinkler credited with saving ten businesses from fire destruction (Bremerton, WA)

A fire that started in the kitchen of a restaurant activated the unit's alarm as well as its fire sprinklers. The sprinkler system extinguished most of the fire, which was contained to the kitchen, before fire crews arrived.

In 1998 in the same location, a different restaurant had a fire break out in their kitchen. However the outcome of that fire was quite different - that restaurant, which did not have fire sprinklers, sustained an estimated $1.2 million loss. Comparatively, the restaurant fire that was protected with a fire sprinkler system sustained an estimated $5,000 in property loss.
 
According to Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue spokesperson Ileana LiMarzi, "The fire was significant enough that three sprinkler heads were activated. Without the activation of the sprinkler system this fire would have quickly spread throughout the structure and potentially destroyed the nine other businesses housed in the building."

No injuries were reported due to the fire.

Fire sprinkler system helps fire crews eliminate commercial fire (Gainesville, GA)

A bale of scrap plastic was the start of an evening fire that broke out in a commercial building. Fire sprinklers, however, were able to contain the flames until firefighters arrived. Fire crews used heavy equipment to remove materials to ensure the fire was out and investigators are determining what started the fire. No injuries were reported. 

YMCA fire contained by fire sprinkler system (Longview, OR)

Fire crews who responded to a fire in the sauna of a YMCA found the flames mostly doused by one of the building's fire sprinklers.  The fire began due to a rubber mat being placed over the sauna's heater in the women's locker room, and thanks to the sprinkler system, fire damage was limited to that area, and no one was reported injured.

Longview Fire Marshal Jim Kambitz stated, "Without the fire sprinkler activation, this fire could have caused much more damage and placed lives at risk."

Fire sprinkler system contains manufacturing plant blaze (Auburn, ME)

An afternoon fire that began in one of the processing machines at a fabric manufacturing plant was limited by the building's fire sprinkler system. Firefighters arrived soon thereafter to douse the remaining flames. "This is exactly what should have been done," Fire Chief Frank Roma stated. No one was reported injured as a result of the incident.

Fire at sporting goods showroom extinguished by sprinkler system (Hood River, OR)

Fire crews were called to investigate a fire. Upon arrival, fire crews found a fire fully extinguished by a single fire sprinkler in the Dakine showroom. The fire was confined to a small portion of one wall, with minor smoke damage to the remaining products in the show room. They said an electrical failure of one of the heating elements caused a shower of sparks and molten aluminum to fall down onto the backpacks and garments on the showroom walls below, starting the fire. “Fire sprinklers saved this building,” Fire Chief Devon Wells said. “The fire was quickly put out and fire damage was kept to a minimum.”

Sprinkler system helped college students evacuate from resident hall fire (Philadelphia, PA)

205 students and 5 RAs of Race Street Hall were evacuated from the building around 1:30 a.m. due to a fire on the sixth floor. It is unclear at this time what caused the fire. Heasley and Subir Sahu, assistant dean of Residential Living, wrote in an email to campus residents, “A fire occurred in Race Street Hall, causing fire sprinkler systems to activate. There were no injuries, and all fire suppression systems operated correctly.”*** Blog Editor's Note - Please let us know what you think of the coverage by The Triangle and journalist Ainslie Rhoads, who focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system. ***

Sprinkler system contains middle school computer lab fire (Norwich, CT)

The fire happened about 2:30 a.m. on a Monday morning in a second-floor science laboratory when a computer ignited and triggered the school’s sprinkler system. A melted computer sat on a workbench in the rear of the room next to several others that appeared undamaged. Officials couldn't say how the computer caught fire. “When the crews went down the hallway to investigate, they were met by heavy smoke and water from the sprinklers,” Taftville Fire Chief Timothy Jencks said. “But they (the sprinklers) did their job and held the flames in check.”

Apartment fire extinguished by sprinkler system (Tulsa, OK)

The Tulsa Fire Department is investigating a late night apartment fire. The fire happened just after midnight. It was minor thanks to the activation of the fire sprinkler system. A woman living in one of the apartments was displaced, but no one was hurt.

Apartment saved thanks to fire sprinklers (Concord, CA)

Fire crews who responded to a mid-day apartment fire found it largely extinguished thanks to the unit's fire sprinklers. The fire, which started in the apartment's kitchen, was deemed under control within fifteen minutes, and no injuries were reported in connection with the fire. "Fire sprinklers saved lives and property today." the Contra Costa Fire Protection's Twitter feed stated.

Fire sprinklers help eliminate two-alarm fire at mill (Fitchburg,MA)

A fire that began on the third floor of the Westminster Mill Corporation in the early morning was quickly contained by the building's fire sprinkler system. The company has hundreds of thousands of dollars of carpentry equipment in the building, all of which was untouched by the fire. "That is pretty substantial," said Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Curran. "If those sprinklers weren't there it certainly could have had a very different outcome." No one was injured in the fire, and workers were able to return to work following the extinguishing of the remaining fire.

Fire sprinklers limit damage at restaurant (Berkeley, CA)

A fire that began in the downstairs dining room of a restaurant was largely eliminated due to the the restaurant's fire sprinklers. Interim Berkeley Deputy Fire Chief Avery Webb confirmed the fire sprinkler systems value when he said, "Had it not been for that single sprinkler, we probably would have had a significantly greater amount of damage."

Sprinkler system makes the difference in apartment fire (Colorado Springs, CO)

A neighbor called 911 after hearing children crying and seeing smoke coming from the apartment unit. Firefighters say a neighbor was able to safety evacuate two children from the home. It's unclear where the parents/guardians were at the time of the fire. The fire sprinkler system in the apartment contributed to the safe outcome of this fire, authorities said. The cause of the fire is not known at this time.

Fire sprinklers limit fire damage at apartment building (Madison, WI)

A late night fire that began in the garage of an apartment building was quickly contained by two sprinkler heads located within a few feet of the car in which the fire began. According to Madison Fire Department spokesman Eric Dahl, "This contained the fire and kept it from spreading until firefighters arrived to finish extinguishing the fire."
No injuries were reported, and once conditions were safe, all of the residents were allowed to return to their appartments.