Sprinkler system extinguishes church fire set by arsonist (Bellingham, WA)

Local and federal authorities are investigating arson at a Bellingham church. Firefighters found two set fires in the church. A small fire in a hallway was put out by a fire extinguisher. The church's sprinkler system extinguished a larger fire in the sanctuary.

Fire sprinklers prove effectiveness in apartment complex fire (Vancouver, WA)

Firefighters say a sprinkler system saved an apartment complex from what could have been an overnight fire.
They arrived and found a plastic box and a cardboard box were left on a stove with a lit burner, said Kevin Stromberg, spokesman for the Vancouver Fire Department. The boxes caught fire and activated the sprinkler system. The residents were not home at the time.  The fire could have easily affected multiple families, especially early in the morning, he said.

Sprinklers control fire at bowling alley (Tallahassee, FL)

Firefighters forced entry into the rear of the building and found a small fire burning inside a clothes dryer, as well as a sprinkler head flowing water above the dryer.  Firefighters quickly extinguished what remained of the fire burning inside the dryer. Automatic sprinkler systems like the one in use at Capital Lanes are designed to control or suppress a fire during its early stages, greatly reducing the loss of property and possibly life.

Sprinkler system contains fire at senior apartment complex (Las Vegas, NV)

Firefighters rescued a woman early Tuesday morning after her eastern valley apartment unit caught fire.  Officials said a sprinkler in her kitchen helped contain the fire and may have saved the woman’s life.

Elementary school kitchen fire contained by sprinkler system (Walla Walla, WA)

City of Walla Walla fire fighters, with the assistance of Fire District 4 and College Place Fire Department, responded to a fire in the kitchen and cafeteria area at Blue Ridge Elementary School in Walla Walla.  The school's fire sprinkler system activated to help contain the fire.  There were no injuries as a result of the fire.

Sprinkler system extinguishes hotel fire (Tampa, FL)

A three-alarm fire at a downtown hotel was extinguished by the building's sprinkler system.  The hotel was successfully evacuated after the fire was reported in a sixth-floor room and no injuries were reported.  The fire was caused by an accidental electrical failure, Tampa Fire Rescue said.

Fire controlled by sprinkler system at cedar remanufacture (Langley, BC)

Ember smoldered and ignited some sawdust near a woodworking machine, which lit some nearby wood scraps, and finally set fire to a lift of lumber.  That caused a sprinkler head directly above the blaze to activate.  "The sprinkler system controlled the fire," assistant fire chief Bruce Ferguson.

Sprinkler system controls fire at elementary school (Westwood, NJ)

Authorities are investigating an Aug. 9 fire at Brookside Elementary that they believe was caused by a hot water heater in the school's boiler room, Westwood Fire Chief Jaymee Hodges said.  "The room's fire sprinkler kept the fire under control until firefighters could secure the gas," he said.

Sprinkler system suppresses fire at single-family home (Fremont, CA)

As firefighters arrived, they found a fire in the family room that had already been suppressed by a home sprinkler system.

Hotel utility room fire contained by sprinkler system (West Yellowstone, MT)

“A water heater was the cause of the fire,” HBFD Assistant Fire Chief Shane Grube said. The pan on the bottom of a water heater in the hotel’s utility room got too close to the floor, which caused the fire. “The sprinklers began to discharge in the utility room and after some investigating, we found the burn pattern was underneath the water heater,” Waldron said. “The floor was burned completely down through. And it was the sprinkler system that really had done its job,” Grube said.

Sprinklers control air conditioning unit fire at townhouse (Maple Ridge, BC)

A fire caused by an exploding air conditioning unit was quickly doused by sprinklers after its spread to a townhouse. Fire chief Dane Spence said a fireball came through a window. “The sprinkler system went off inside and kept the fire to the outside of the residence,” said Spence. No one was injured in the fire.

Fire extinguished by sprinkler system at concrete plant (DeKalb, IL)

Firefighters found smoke coming from the building and discovered that the building’s sprinkler system had put out the fire, which originated at the top of a product-mixing tank. No one was injured.

Sprinkler system aids firefighters during manufacturing plant fire (Urbana, IL)

A malfunctioning machine at the Solo Cup plant in east Urbana sparked a fire Thursday morning that caused moderate damage.

Urbana Fire Chief Mike Dilley said a combination of sprinkler heads inside the plant and firefirefighters' hose lines kept the fire from being any worse than it was. All the workers in the plant were safely evacuated.

Sprinkler prevents major fire damage at restaurant (Ocean City, MD)

Firefighters were able to get the fire, which originated in the kitchen, under control. Officials say a sprinkler was activated during the blaze, which prevented extensive damages to the rest of the restaurant. Officials say no one was injured.

Cat survives apartment fire thanks to fire sprinkler system (Portland, OR)

Firefighters who responded to a southeast Portland apartment fire could hear screaming inside and see smoke seeping from under the door. So they kicked in the door and found — a cat.

Fire spokesman Ron Rouse says the cat — named Dude — was fine after the firefighters took him outside Wednesday evening and gave him some oxygen.

Rouse says the apartment resident had taken some warm clothes from the dryer and set them on a couch near some oily rags, then left the apartment. The spokesman says the combination of heat and the oily rags created spontaneous combustion. The apartment's automatic sprinklers contained the fire to the couch.