Sprinkler system extinguishes fire in lower parking garage of high-rise building (Chicago, IL)

** NO MEDIA COVERAGE - FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED **

Early this morning, the Chicago Fire Department reported that a fire sprinkler system in the Franklin Center commercial high-rise at 227 W. Monroe extinguished a fire that was caused by an automobile in a lower level parking garage. 

“Too often we hear about the unsprinklered fires that cause major damage and injuries or deaths, but it’s even more important to highlight when larger fires are prevented thanks to the quick response of fire sprinklers,” says Tom Lia, executive director of the nonprofit Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board. “Today, a fire sprinkler system extinguished a car fire and prevented any harm to humans. That is why fire sprinklers are in the national model codes. They are vital to life and property protection in high-rises and all other occupancies as well."

Hotel room cooking fire extinguished by fire sprinkler system (Chesapeake, VA)

No injuries were reported after a fire damaged a hotel room at the Extended Stay America.  Chesapeake firefighters were called to the scene about 7:45 p.m. and found heavy smoke coming from the second floor of the hotel, according to a news release.  The automatic fire sprinkler system inside the building was able to extinguish the room fire, the news release said. The cause of the fire appeared to be unattended cooking.

Fire sprinkler system puts out nursing home fire (Oklahoma City, OK)

The fire began about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in the office area at an Oklahoma City nursing home.  Staff members helped residents get out of the building, and the sprinkler system put out the fire, said Maj. Tammy McKinney, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma City Fire Department. 

Apartment fire extinguished by fire sprinkler system (Sneads Ferry, NC)

Nearly 30 people were displaced after a small fire set off water sprinklers at a apartment complex.  The fire started at approximately 6:30 p.m. Monday in the kitchen area of one of the apartment units but was immediately contained and put out. The fire was minor, and no injuries were reported.  The fire's investigation is closed, and it was ruled an accident.

Sprinkler system controls dorm fire at University of Illinois (Champaign, IL)

A dorm on the University of Illinois campus caught fire on Sunday night.  Firefighters responded to a report of smoke and flames coming from a room, on the 6th floor of Sherman Hall. The occupant of room 655 directed firefighters to the room with heavy smoke and fire. A sprinkler system in the room helped to control the flames.  Crews worked quickly to put out the fire and evacuate the 13-story north wing of the building. No injuries were reported.  The cause of the fire was electrical.

Fire sprinkler system contains fire at bowling alley (Shrewsbury, MA)

A small fire started this morning in a storage closet at AMF Town & Country Lanes. The building's sprinkler system contained the flames to that area, said Shrewsbury Fire Captain Seth Colby.  The fire started when no one was in the building and was accidental, but the exact cause is under investigation, Shrewsbury Fire Captain Seth Colby said.

Sprinkler helps to control arson fire at popular retail & entertainment venue (Las Vegas, NV)

A man was arrested and charged with first degree arson after allegedly setting fire to the loading dock, recycle area that services Neonopolis on the Fremont Street Experience Thursday morning. Fire dispatchers received the call at 3:09 a.m. Thursday that trash and a dumpster was on fire at the loading dock area for Neonopolis, which is a shopping mall and entertainment complex in Las Vegas, located on top of a $15 million city parking garage. After the fire started, a fire sprinkler activated and kept the fire under control until firefighters arrived on scene and put the fire completely out.  Damage was confined to the dumpster area.

Sprinkler puts out fire at apartments that burned in 2007 (Madison, WI)

Six years after a blaze destroyed a Madison apartment building, officials say the sprinkler system at a new building on the same site prevented serious damage from a weekend fire.  The fire started Saturday when a discarded cigarette ignited a Christmas tree on a balcony, authorities said.  By the time firefighters arrived, however, an automatic sprinkler had already extinguished the fire, leaving the building with only cosmetic damage, officials said.  That’s a far cry from July of 2007, when a fire started by a cigarette butt caused $3.5 million in damage, according to State Journal archives.

“This is a perfect example of how fire sprinkler systems limit damage and most importantly, save lives,” Madison Fire Department spokeswoman Bernadette Galvez said in a statement.

Sprinklers keep fire from spreading at waste and recycling facility (Calgary, AB)

A fire that began in a pile of rubble in a waste and recycling facility brought fire crews at about 5:30 p.m. on Monday, January 20. The building's fire sprinkler had activated, which contained the fire to it's source. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment cooking fire eliminated by sprinkler system (Springfield, MO)

A cooking fire erupted in an apartment unit around 8 p.m. on Sunday, January 20. The smoke alarm went off, alerting the residents, and the sprinkler activated, extinguishing the fire. 

Fire Chief David Hall said of the fire, "It's one of those that would have been a serious fire had it not had a fire sprinkler in it - and a working smoke alarm."

Sprinklers assist firefighters in apartment fire (San Luis Obispo, CA)

A fire which broke out in an apartment at around 3:40 a.m. on Monday, January 20, filled an apartment with smoke and activated the unit's fire sprinkler system. Firefighters were able to eliminate the fire by 4:00 a.m.

"Without the sprinkler system, the fire could have gotten a lot bigger," said acting Battalion Chief Mike King.

Kitchen fire extinguished by single fire sprinkler (Arapahoe County, CO)

When firefighters responded to a home fire on January 13, the fire had already been eradicated by a single fire sprinkler. The fire began when a pot of cooking oil started on fire, which spread up the stove and cupboards. 

"There were no injuries, little fire damage, and the sprinkler system was quickly put back into service," said fire investigator Mike Kadel. "Fire sprinklers have an impressive ability to limit property damage and keep our residents and fire fighters safe."

Sprinklers contain fire at restaurant (Gainesville, GA)

Gainesville firefighters responded to a fire at a restaurant a little before 6 a.m. on Friday, January 17. The fire crews broke into the building and found that four sprinkler heads had activated and kept the fire in check. After the crews put out the remaining flames, Fire Marshal Chad Payne reported that a faulty condensation line pump on a refrigeration unit had started the fire. There were no injuries reported.

Fire sprinkler keeps fire from spreading at night club (Salisbury, NC)

Salisbury's night club, Nashville Nights, had a trash can fire occur on Saturday evening, and firefighters were alerted to the scene. The building's fire sprinkler activated and suppressed the fire.

Salisbury Fire Chief Bob Parnell said, "Had this building not been sprinklered, then it is very probable that a serious fire would result and consume one or more downtown buildings."

No injuries were reported, and the night club was slated to open in a few days.

Sprinklers save high school from damage (Jackson, TN)

When a fire broke out in a high school gym on January 16 during basketball practice, the school's fire sprinkler system put out the flames within 20 minutes. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and the school had plans to resume classes the following day.

Sprinkler system aids firefighters at health club fire (Owensboro, KY)

A health club had a fire occur in one of it's clothes dryers. The dryer, which was full of towels, caught fire, and the outside of the unit began to burn. The heat from the fire activated the fire sprinkler which was near it; the sprinkler controlled the fire until fire crews arrived. Thirty people were in the building when the fire occurred but were able to evacuate safely.

Fire at library halted by single sprinkler (Lake Forest, IL)

At around 9:15 p.m. on January 14, the Lake Forest Fire Department was called to the Lake Forest Library when heavy smoke was reported coming from the building. Fire crews, confirming that there were no occupants in the building, reported that the fire began when a broken light bulb fell from the ceiling and ignited a chair. A single fire sprinkler controlled the fire from spreading. There were no injuries reported.

Fire sprinkler puts out fire at hotel (Rocky Mount, NC)

Fire sprinklers stopped an early morning fire from spreading at a Doubletree Hotel on Wednesday, January 15. One of the hotel's guest smelled smoke at about 6 a.m. and pulled the a fire alarm. When fire crews arrived, they found a small amount of smoke coming from a fourth floor room that was unoccupied. In response to the heat from the fire, the room's fire sprinklers had activated, which kept the fire from spreading. Investigators believe the fire began because of an electrical malfunction near the heating unit in the fourth floor room. No one was injured in the incident.

Restaurant fire squelched by sprinkler system (Crookston, MN)

When a fire broke out in a restaurant kitchen on Monday morning, the restaurant's fire sprinkler put out the flames. Investigators believe the fire began when an overheated aerosol cooking spray and exploded, and that the fire quickly started near the kitchen's exhaust system. No injuries were reported.

Sprinklers prove worth in house fire (Antioch, CA)

A two-story home caught fire on Tuesday night following what investigator's believe was a spark near the home's fuse box. Fire crews were able to put the fire out within minutes.

"What's fortunate is that it was a brand new home, and it contained a sprinkler system," fire Inspector Steve Aubert of the Contra Costa Fire Protection District. "That kept the fire to its point of origin. The damage was very, very minimal."

No one was injured in the incident, and the exact cause of the fire is under investigation.

Sprinklers extinguish multiple fires set by arsonists at a high school (Kusa, CO)

Police are looking for the three individuals who broke into, vandalized, and ignited a fire at a high school after midnight on January 13. The vandals broke some windows in the school, vandalized the computer lab, and started multiple fires in the band room. The school's fire sprinkler extinguished the fire before it could spread to other classrooms. No one was injured in the blaze.

Sprinklers keep fire from spreading in apartment fire (Crofton, MD)

On the afternoon of January 9, a fire was called into the Anne Arundel County Firefighters at a three story apartment building. The fire, which started on the balcony of a second floor unit, had quickly spread into the living room, where a fire sprinkler activated and contained the fire until fire crews arrived. A 20-year old male was in the apartment at the time of the fire, and he remained uninjured from the incident. The fire department was able to extinguish the remaining flames within 20 minutes of arrival, and investigators report that the fire was caused by improperly disposed smoking materials.

Fire at manufacturing facility contained by fire sprinkler system (Conroe, TX)

A fire broke out at Pentair Industries on Saturday morning, and firefighters arrived to the scene at approximately 7 a.m. The origin of the fire was a filter drying oven, and the building's fire sprinkler system activated and kept the fire from spreading beyond that point. Fire crews extinguished the remaining blaze, and no injuries were reported. 

The City of Conroe's Fire Marshal's Office reported that this incident displayed the effectiveness of properly installed and maintained fire sprinkler systems in reducing injuries, loss of life, and loss of property due to fire.

Sprinklers squelch hotel clubhouse fire (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL)

Investigators are still looking into the cause of a fire which began in a hotel clubhouse on Wednesday afternoon. Fire crews arrived to the clubhouse after receiving reports of a fire; upon entering the building, they found no fire or smoke thanks to the building's fire sprinklers, which put out the flames prior to their arrival. There were no injuries reported.

Fire sprinklers minimize damage at Ace Hardware (Piedmont, CA)

When a fire began in the storage room of an Ace Hardware just after four in the morning on Sunday, January  6, the fire sprinkler system in that back room activated, minimizing the potential damage from the fire. Investigator's believe the fire began due to an electrical malfunction, and no one was injured in the incident. The store reopened on Monday, January 7.

Fire at manufacturing plant extinguished thanks to fire sprinklers (Chattanooga, TN)

NWA Plastics Company reported a fire on the afternoon Wednesday, January 8, when a motor used to power an air compressor overheated and caught on fire. The heat from the fire then activated a sprinkler head from the facility's fire sprinkler system which then completely suppressed the fire prior to the arrival of six fire companies. No injuries were reported, and the damage was minimal.

Sprinklers save three-story apartment building from damage (Cape Coral, FL)

A grease fire began in a third floor unit of an apartment building on Tuesday evening. When fire crews arrived soon after they received the alert, they found that a single fire sprinkler had activated and eliminated the fire with no fire damage to the building. 

According to City Fire Marshal Alan Carter, "Without fire sprinklers and quick extinguishment, this could have easily been fire that could cause a very significant loss from fire, displaced twelve families, and potential loss of life."

New Year's Day fire at restaurant eliminated by fire sprinklers (Las Vegas, NV)

A Las Vegas strip resort restaurant had a fire occur after a bag of mesquite wood caught on fire just before 8 a.m. on New Year's Day. A fire sprinkler head activated and put out the flames, and no injuries were reported.

Sprinkler keeps fire from spreading at strip mall (San Jose, CA)

On January 2 at 2:15 p.m. firefighters arrived to put out the remaining fire at a strip mall. The firefighters report that they were first alerted to the fire when the automatic fire sprinkler water flow alarm was activated. The fire sprinkler kept the fire from spreading, preventing damage to other businesses in the strip mall. The cause of the fire is still under investigation; no one was injured in the incident.

Fire on college campus eliminated by sprinkler system (Cortland, NY)

State University College in Cortland, New York had a fire begin in the Old Main Building on December 30. Firefighters found that the majority of the fire had been extinguished by the time they arrived; it appears that the fire began on or above the third floor of the building. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

** Blog Editor's Note - Please let us know what you think of the coverage by Syracuse.com, which focused on water damage rather than the lives and property saved by the automatic fire sprinkler system**

Sprinklers prove worth in nightclub fire set by arsonist (Seattle, WA)

A fire which began soon after midnight on New Year's Day caused the Seattle Fire Department's Ladder 10 to be called to the scene. The nightclub's estimated 750 patrons were able to evacuate safely, and one of them used a fire extinguisher to put out some of the flames. The facility's fire sprinkler system then completely put out the fire. The Seattle Police Department said that the cause of the fire was arson and the unknown perpetrator appeared to have poured gasoline on the carpeted stairway between the first and second level.

Mattress fire at apartment complex contained by fire sprinklers (Tinley Park, IL)

** NO MEDIA COVERAGE - FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED **

A fire sprinkler helped to extinguish a bedroom mattress fire at the Edgewater Walk Apartments on Tuesday (Dec. 31).  The sprinkler activated minimizing fire, heat and smoke damage.  The fire did not extend past the area of origin. The cause of the fire is not known, but is considered suspicious.