Fire Sprinkler Saves (Winter 2022 Edition)

Winter 2022 Sprinkler Saves in the Chicagoland area. You can submit stories here and view other saves here.

Fire Sprinklers Extinguish Print Shop Fire

March 31, 2022
NILES, IL
– Two fire sprinklers extinguished a fire in a print shop located in a commercial building and warehouse. According to Niles Fire Chief Marty Feld, the fire appeared to have started under a conveyer belt that was part of a printing press. Because the sprinklers extinguished the fire, the incident was never upgraded to an active fire. No injuries were reported.

Source:  Journal & Topics (journal-topics.com)

Fire Sprinklers Stop Fire in Manufacturing Plant

March 23, 2022
CAROL STREAM, IL – 
Two fire sprinklers controlled a fire at a large manufacturing plant. Crews from the Carol Stream Fire Protection District arrived at the scene and found two sprinklers controlling the fire in the center of the warehouse. No injuries were reported. Plant operations continued that day.

Source: dailyherald.com

Single Fire Sprinkler Stops Fire in Home Under Construction

Lake Zurich Home Fire

March 20, 2022
LAKE ZURICH, IL – A single fire sprinkler extinguished a fire in the basement of a home under construction. According to Bob Kleinheinz, fire prevention specialist, Lake Zurich Fire Department, the cause of the fire was construction material too close to a space heater.

Minor smoke and water damage was quickly cleaned up, keeping the home on its construction schedule. The fire occurred just a few weeks after Nova Fire Protection installed the fire sprinklers. According to Kleinheinz, the system had been recently hydro tested.

Source:  Bob Kleinheinz, Fire Prevention Specialist-CFO, Lake Zurich Fire Department

Fire Sprinkler Extinguishes Blaze in Hotel Restaurant Kitchen

March 13, 2022
QUINCY, IL – 
Two fire sprinklers extinguished a kitchen fire in a restaurant located at a Holiday Inn Hotel. The fire was caused by rags that combusted inside a plastic tub. No injuries were reported. The restaurant and hotel were able to continue operations the same day.

Source:  Herald-Whig (whig.com)

Fire Sprinkler Credited with Saving Life of Crystal Lake Hotel Guest

March 9, 2022
CRYSTAL LAKE, IL
– A fire sprinkler extinguished a mattress fire saving the life of the guest at the Country Inn and Suites Hotel in Crystal Lake. Police arrived at the scene first and found the activated sprinkler and the guest unconscious in the room where the fire originated. The occupant was transported to an area hospital for evaluation The room was isolated and the hotel remained open for business.

Source:   Arlington Cardinal News

Fire Sprinkler Extinguishes Lake in the Hills Apartment Fire

February 24, 2022

LAKE IN THE HILLS, IL – A fire sprinkler extinguished a fire in a first-floor unit of a multi-family apartment building. When fire crews arrived, they found heavy smoke and confirmed that the fire was extinguished. All occupants and their pets were safely evacuated. No injuries were reported.

Source:   Deputy Fire Chief John Knebl, Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District (Press Release)

Fire Sprinkler Contains Storage Room Fire At Wyndham Hotel

February 23, 2022 
SPRINGFIELD, IL – A fire sprinkler stopped a fire from spreading in storage room in the basement of the Wyndham Hotel. Firefighters arrived and extinguished the remaining fire. The cause of the fire is unknown. No injuries were reported.

Source:  wandtv.com

Fire Sprinkler Controls Fire at Dekalb Retirement Center 

February 12, 2022
DEKALB, IL – A fire sprinkler controlled a fire inside a resident’s third floor bedroom. Dekalb firefighters responded to a structure fire at the Oak Crest Retirement Center. Firefighters made sure the fire was extinguished. No injuries were reported.

Source:  Daily Chronicle

Fire Sprinklers Prevent Fire from Spreading at Rockford Holiday Inn

February 8, 2022

ROCKFORD, IL – Fire sprinklers contained a fire caused by an appliance gas leak in a utility room at the Rockford Holiday Inn.  The Rockford Fire Department arrived at the scene and found the sprinklers controlling the fire. Two contractors were doing maintenance work when the gas ignited sending one to the hospital for moderate burns. Firefighters extinguished the remaining fire. The building was evacuated for about 30 minutes. Both the hotel and restaurant re-opened for business.

Sources:     MyStateLine.com and WTVO WQRF Eyewitness News

Fire Sprinklers Control Fire Inside Electric Vehicle Production Plant

February 4, 2022
NORMAL, IL
  – Fire sprinklers contained a fire in car that was on an assembly line at the Rivian Electric Vehicle Production Plant. The fire was contained to a single car until firefighters arrived. No injuries were reported.“The sprinkler system did exactly what it was supposed to do – put water on the fire quickly and prevent it from spreading until the fire department arrived to do its job,” said Matt Swaney, public information officer, Normal Fire Department.

Sources:   Matt Sheehan TV Facebook Post and HOIABC.com (Heart of Illinois ABC)

Fire Sprinklers Extinguish Fire in Parked School Bus

Litchfield Bus Company Fire

January 27, 2022
LITCHFIELD, IL
– Fire sprinklers extinguished a fire in the front end of a school bus parked inside a bay at the bus company. Fire crews arrived to find light smoke and the extinguished fire in the engine of the bus. No injuries were reported.

In a press release, the Litchfield Fire Department reminded business/building owners about the importance of maintaining and inspecting their fire sprinkler systems for other successful outcomes.

Source:  Litchfield Fire Department Facebook Post

Single Fire Sprinkler Extinguishes Kitchen Fire

January 26, 2022
GALESBURG, IL
– A fire sprinkler extinguished a kitchen fire inside a home. When fire crews arrived, police were helping occupants evacuate. Firefighters confirmed that the fire sprinkler extinguished the fire.  The cause of the fire was cooking grease. No injuries were reported.

Source:  City of Galesburg Illinois website: ci.galesburg.il.us

Fire Sprinkler Prevents Furnace Fire in Palatine Apartment Complex

January 18, 2022

PALATINE, IL – A fire sprinkler prevented a furnace fire from spreading in an apartment in Palatine. When firefighters arrived at the 40-unit multi-family complex, they found a sprinkler activated after a furnace overheated in a second-floor unit.

 

“If not for the 13R sprinkler system, we have no doubt that this would [have] progressed to a structure fire as no one was home,” said Palatine Fire Marshal Jay Atherton.

 

It is estimated that more than $200,000 was saved in damages. No injuries were reported.

 

Source:   Fire Marshal Jay Atherton, Palatine Fire Department

 

Fire Sprinkler Stops High-Rise Apartment Fire Saving Resident

January 16, 2022
SCHAUMBURG, IL – A single fire sprinkler extinguished a fire in a 7th floor unit of a 12-story high-rise building. According to Schaumburg Fire Marshal Michael Rons, the fire started in the living room. The resident was unable to evacuate, went into the bedroom and called 9-1-1. One fire sprinkler activated and extinguished the fire before the fire department arrived.

The building was retrofit with fire sprinklers after the Village of Schaumburg adopted a high-rise sprinkler retrofit ordinance in 2004. No injuries were reported.

Sources:  Michael Rons, Fire Marshal, Schaumburg Fire Department

Fire Sprinklers Extinguish Rockford Apartment High-Rise Fire

January 8, 2022
ROCKFORD, IL – Fire sprinklers extinguished a fire in a second floor unit of a high-rise apartment building. According to the Rockford Fire Department, the crew arrived within four minutes of the call. They found a water flow alert on the second floor and confirmed that the sprinkler extinguished the fire. The fire was contained to a single unit. One resident was sent to the hospital. The cause of the fire was undetermined.

Source:  IllinoisNewsToday.com

Fire Sprinklers Contain Arson Fires at Walmart

January 7, 2022
LANSING, IL – Fire Sprinklers contained two fires that were intentionally set inside of a Walmart store. Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke inside the store and the sprinkler system controlling the fire until firefighters extinguished the remaining fire. The cause was determined to be intentionally set by two individuals in the store at the time. No injuries were reported.

Source:   Northwest Indiana Times (nwitimes.com)

Fire Sprinkler Contains Townhouse Fire

Fox Lake Townhome FIre Image

January 7, 2022

FOX LAKE, IL – A fire sprinkler controlled a fire in the master bedroom of a townhome.  When the crew from the Fox Lake Fire Protection District arrived, they found a single fire sprinkler activated and the humidifier had melted into a set of plastic drawers.

According to Lieutenant Katie Neulist the fire sprinkler system did its job.  It saved a townhome complex.  It is estimated that about one million dollars was saved thanks to the fire sprinkler system.   No injuries were reported.

Source:   Lieutenant Katie Neulist, Fox Lake Fire Protection District

2022-02-23T15:38:26-06:00January 12th, 2022|Comments Off on Fire Sprinkler Saves (Winter 2022 Edition)
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