Fire Sprinkler Saves (Fall 2022 Edition)

December 14, 2022
LAKE FOREST, IL – A fire sprinkler extinguished a fire at the Walter Payton Center. Lake Forest fire crews reported that a fully-involved furnace fire on the second floor was extinguished when they arrived.  Football practice was underway, but was moved outdoors because of the fire. No injuries were reported.

SOURCE:  ArlingtonCardinal.com (Cardinal News)

November 24, 2022
HAWTHORN WOODS, IL – A single fire sprinkler extinguished a fire in a basement kitchen at St. Matthew Church and School. The fire was caused by a pot of oil that ignited on a stove. According to Bob Kleinheinz, Lake Zurich Fire Department, the sprinkler saved this historic church and school by extinguishing a fire in the basement. It also allowed firefighters to do their job without injury. No injuries were reported.

Source:  Bob Kleinheinz, Fire Prevention, Lake Zurich Fire Department

November 23, 2022
DEKALB, IL – A fire sprinkler extinguished a fire in a student apartment at Northern Illinois University. When crews from the DeKalb Fire Department arrived, they found a sprinkler extinguished a fire in the bathroom. Officials said the fire started on the stovetop in the kitchen. An occupant moved the burning material into the bathroom. No injuries were reported.

Source:  Daily Chronicle News

November 22, 2022
GALESBURG, IL – Fire sprinklers contained a fire in a 200,000 sq. ft. warehouse. When crews from the Galesburg Fire Department arrived, they found heavy smoke. Using a thermal imaging camera, they located the fire in a large self-contained trash compactor. Fire sprinklers contained the fire, stopping it from spreading through the warehouse. No injuries were reported.

Source:  WGIL.COM and OurQuadCities.com

November 21, 2022
TINLEY PARK, IL – A fire sprinkler contained a fire inside the Nu2u resale shop and Together We Cope food pantry. Crews arrived to find smoke and determined that the fire started in the resale shop sorting room. According to Tinley Park Fire Chief Steve Klotz, without a working fire sprinkler system, the damage could have been much worse. No injuries reported.

Source:  Patch.com

November 16, 2022
ROCKFORD, IL – A fire sprinkler controlled a fire in an apartment on the 8th floor of an 15-story building. Crews from the Rockford Fire District arrived to find smoke on the 8^th floor. A sprinkler contained the fire to the room of origin.

The Faust Landmark building was built in 1929 and later retrofit with fire sprinklers. According to Chief Kyle Hill “the sprinkler system really did its job here today.” The cause is believed to be accidental. No injuries were reported.

Source:  WREX.com and mystateline.com

November 14, 2022
ZION, IL – A small fire was extinguished by a fire sprinkler at the Zion Cancer Treatment Centers of America. The hospital was in an area under construction. It was caused by an electric cord with poor wiring plugged into a wall outlet. No injuries were reported. Preliminary estimates of damages are in the range of $5,000.

Source:  Zion Fire & Rescue Department News Release

November 9, 2022
WINNETKA, IL – A fire sprinkler extinguished a fire in a kitchen of a condominium. According to Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Hutchison, the sprinkler prevented $750,000 in damages. No injuries were reported.

Source:  Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Hutchison, Winnetka Fire Department

November 3, 2022
CHAMPAIGN, IL – A fire sprinkler extinguished a fire in a fourth floor unit of a multifamily apartment building. According to Champaign Deputy Fire Marshal Jeremy Mitchell, when crews responded, they found a sprinkler extinguished the fire that started in a trash bin. The fire may have been caused by inappropriate disposal of candles or smoking material.

Occupants from apartments and a bar located on the ground floor evacuated the building. Shortly after the call, the bar was back in business. Residents returned to their units later that night. No injuries were reported.

Source:  Dailyillini.com

October 18, 2022
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, IL – Installed fire sprinklers automatically activated in response to an electrical-equipment fire at the indoor Sky Zone Trampoline Park, extinguishing the blaze just as responding Fairview Fire Department and other fire department personnel arrived at the smoky scene. No injuries were reported.

Source:  Belleville News-Democrat – BND.com

October 15, 2022
PARK RIDGE, IL – A single fire sprinkler extinguished an accidental fire in a commercial building in Park Ridge. Activating prior to the fire department’s arrival, the sprinkler limited damage to $1,000. No injuries were reported.

The City of Park Ridge adopted a sprinkler ordinance more than 20 years ago. This sprinkler system was installed in the past 15 years. According to the fire department, “By properly maintaining the system and testing on an annual basis, as designed, the system operated properly, extinguishing the fire and potentially saving several adjoining occupancies from catching fire.”

Source:  Chicago Tribune

October 11, 2022
BLOOMINGTON, IL – Fire sprinklers controlled an unattended cooking fire in the Washington Senior Apartments. Responding Bloomington Fire Department personnel found smoke and activating sprinklers on the third floor of the senior living facility and quickly extinguished the fire.

No injuries were reported.

Source:  CentralIllinoisProud.com

October 9, 2022
ROBBINS, IL – Fire sprinklers stopped a fire from spreading on the seventh floor of a nursing home healthcare center. When fire crews arrived, they extinguished the remaining fire. No injuries have been reported.

Source:  Merrionette Park Fire Department Facebook Post