Winter 2021 Sprinkler Saves in the Chicagoland area. You can submit stories here and view other saves here.
Fire Sprinkler Stops Fire From Spreading In Utility Room at New Trier Township Office
March 28, 2021
WINNETKA, IL – A single fire sprinkler controlled a fire in a utility room in the New Trier Township office building. According to Winnetka Fire Chief Alan Berkowsky, when crews arrived, they discovered smoke coming from the building’s basement and located the fire in a corner of a utility room.
“The fire was contained by a single sprinkler head, which held the fire in check,” Berkowsky said. “Once we powered the (electrical) grid down, we extinguished the fire. If it wasn’t for the sprinkler and the fire alarm system doing what they were supposed to be doing, I think that building would have had significant fire damage.”
No injuries were reported.
Source: Chicago Tribune
Fire Sprinklers Control Strip Mall Fire
March 26, 2021
NAPERVILLE, IL – Fire sprinklers controlled a fire in a first floor unit of a Naperville strip mall. When fire crews arrived, they reported smoke showing from the unit and fire sprinklers activated. Crews deployed a hose line to extinguish the remaining fire. No injuries were reported.
Sources: Naperville Fire Department Press Release and Daily Herald
Fire Sprinklers Control Dryer Fire in Chicago Factory
March 13, 2021
CHICAGO, IL – Fire sprinklers prevented a fire from spreading at Edsal Manufacturing, the makers of commercial grade shelving, racking and storage systems. Chicago firefighters arrived and found a dryer fire in a powder coating area of the factory activated the sprinklers. No injuries were reported.
Source: Chicago Fire Department Twitter – @CFDMedia
Fire Sprinklers Control Fire After Vehicle Crashed into Apartment
March 13, 2021
ADDISON, IL – Fire sprinklers controlled a fire after a Jeep Compass crashed into an apartment and the engine started on fire. Upon arrival, crews from the Addison Fire Protection District found the vehicle crashed and was inside the first floor unit. The engine compartment was on fire and the sprinkler system inside the apartment building activated. Firefighters extinguished the remaining fire. There was little fire extension into the apartment.
There were no occupants inside the Jeep. The apartment tenant reported that all occupants were out of the apartment.
Source: Mike Toika, Fire Marshal, Addison Fire Protection District
Fire Sprinklers Control Fire in Hotel Room
March 2, 2021
CREST HILL, IL – Two fire sprinklers stopped a fire from spreading in a room at the Crest Hill Inn. The Lockport Township Fire Protection District responded to a fire alarm and found smoke showing from one of the hotel room windows. Two sprinklers kept the fire in check while firefighters used a line to extinguish the fire.
No injuries were reported. The sprinkler system was placed back in service and other areas of the hotel were able to be re-occupied. The fire appeared to be accidental in nature.
Source: Lockport Township Fire Protect District Press Release
Fire Sprinkler Controls Chemical Plant Trash Compactor Fire
February 23, 2021
BEDFORD PARK, IL – A single fire sprinkler held a fire in check in a trash compactor at a Bedford Park chemical plant. According to the Bedford Park Fire Department, the fire occurred near the hydraulic ram portion of the compacting machine causing flames to climb an interior wall. A fire sprinkler controlled the fire while fire crews directed hoses into the exterior trash container to help fully extinguish the fire. The cause of the fire was unknown. No injuries were reported.
Source: Bedford Park Fire Department.
Fire Sprinkler Controls Apartment Fire Caused By Careless Smoking
February 14, 2021
GLENVIEW, IL – A single fire sprinkler contained a mattress fire caused by careless smoking in a third floor apartment. The Glenview Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at 6:48 p.m. on Valentine’s Day. When crews entered the apartment, they located an occupant in one of the bedrooms and found the sprinkler extinguished a fire in the mattress. The occupant was transported to the hospital in stable condition.
Source: Patch.com
Fire Sprinkler Prevents Fire From Spreading at Target Store
February 10, 2021
BEDFORD PARK, IL – A single fire sprinkler held a fire in check until crews arrived at a Target store in Bedford Park. According to the Bedford Park Fire Department, the fire occurred in a merchandise storage area when a forklift stuck a suspended heating unit gas line. No injuries were reported.
Source: Bedford Park Fire Department.
Fire Sprinklers Keep French Village Hotel Fire In Check
January 25, 2021
FRENCH VILLAGE, IL – Fire sprinklers stopped a fire from spreading in a second floor hotel room. When the French Village Fire Department arrived, they found smoke on the second floor and sprinklers controlling the fire. Firefighters extinguished the remaining fire. One person had minor injuries.
Source: French Village FD Facebook
Fire Sprinkler Controls North Aurora Townhouse Fire
January 24, 2021
NORTH AURORA, IL – Fire sprinklers stopped a fire from spreading in a townhouse garage. North Aurora firefighters did not see smoke or fire upon arrival until they opened the garage. Fire sprinklers activated, preventing the fire from spreading. No injuries were reported.
Source: Daily Herald
Two Waukegan Apartment Fires on the Same Day With Different Outcomes
January 18, 2021
WAUKEGAN, IL – A single fire sprinkler extinguished a kitchen fire in a 3-story apartment building in Waukegan. When firefighters arrived, the fire was extinguished and no injuries were reported.
This apartment fire sprinkler save was in sharp contrast to a high-rise apartment fire later in the day where the Waukegan Fire Department responded to a fire on the 10th floor of a 12-story building. An elderly man was found dead inside the unsprinklered unit. According to the Waukegan Fire Department, only the corridors and stairwells are protected with sprinklers, not the individual apartments. Both fires appeared to be the result of cooking.
Source: Patch.com
Fire Sprinklers Contain Bartlett Warehouse Fire and Protect Firefighters
January 12, 2021
BARTLETT, IL – Fire sprinklers controlled a fire in a 400,000-square-foot warehouse in Bartlett where dense, high-piled cardboard beverage trays used by fast-food restaurants were being stored.
According to Fire Marshal Michael Heimbecker, Bartlett Fire Protection District, when the fire crew arrived, warehouse employees reported smoke and flames inside the buildings. The warehouse was filled with smoke creating very poor visibility. Crews found three sprinklers controlled a deep-seated fire burning within a high-piled dense cardboard.
Heimbecker said the sprinklers held the fire to the area of origin and helped firefighters extinguish the fire. Without sprinklers, the potential loss to the three businesses operating in the building would have been significant with approximately $30 million in product located in the building.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was accidental.
Sources: Daily Herald and Bartlett Fire Protection District Press Release
Fire Sprinkler Contains Fire in Evanston Multi-Family Apartment
January 11, 2021
EVANSTON, IL – A fire sprinkler helped contain a fire on the third floor of a multi-family apartment building. When fire crews arrived, they encountered moderate smoke and fire conditions. The sprinkler contained the fire while firefighters extinguished the fire. One occupant in the unit where the fire occurred was unresponsive and taken to the hospital. All other occupants were able to safely escape.
Source: City of Evanston Press Release