August 2020

COLUMBIA, IL (August 12, 2020) – Two fire sprinklers controlled a fire at the Crown Linen Service located at 322 E. Industrial Drive in Columbia around 7 p.m. August 12.

According to Columbia Fire Chief Mike Roediger, the fire was caused by large bags of towels that combusted. Two sprinklers contained the fire until crews arrived.

Sprinklers controlled a similar fire at the same location in June when a large bag of laundry caught fire.

Crown Linen provides linen services for the restaurant, hospitality, healthcare and sales industries. No injuries were reported.

Source: Republic-Times

August 2020

LIBERTYVILLE, IL (August 10, 2020) – Fire sprinklers stopped a fire from spreading in a high rack storage area at Medline Industries. The warehouse is located at 1501 Harris Road.

When the Libertyville Fire Department arrived on scene, they reported smoke in the south end of the warehouse. Fire sprinklers contained the fire to its initial location. No injuries were reported. The fire is under investigation.

Source: Libertyville Fire Department press release

August 2020

HOMETOWN, IL (August 9, 2020) – Fire sprinklers helped extinguish a fire at Fisher, a commercial printing company in Bridgeview. According to the company website, the business prints more than 3 billion direct mail and magazine inserts per year, so large amounts of paper stock are stored in the facility. According to the Hometown Fire Protection District, the fire was in a paper baler. The fire was extinguished with the help of the fire sprinkler system. No injuries were reported.

Source: Facebook post by Hometown Fire Protection District post on Facebook

August 2020

OAK PARK, IL (August 8, 2020) – A single fire sprinkler extinguished a kitchen fire in a unit located on the 20^th floor of the Emerson apartment building in Oak Park.

The fire may have been caused by a dog trying to get food that was in a box left on the stovetop. The dog may have turned on a burner, igniting the box. A single concealed fire sprinkler activated and extinguished the fire. The building was back in service that night.

Source: Tim Bartell, Sprinkler Fitters Local 281

August 2020

ALSIP, IL (August, 2020) – A single fire sprinkler kept a fire from spreading at Quincy Recycle in Alsip. When fire crews arrived at the scene, they found a single sprinkler controlled a fire in a large paper shredder. Firefighters extinguished the remaining fire.

Source: Alsip Fire Department

August 2020

BANNOCKBURN, IL (August 1, 2020) – A single fire sprinkler controlled a kitchen fire in an apartment at Owens Hall Trinity International University. According to Fire Marshal Brian McCarthy, Deerfield-Bannockburn Fire Protection District, the resident was heating oil on the stove. The resident left the apartment to retrieve something from their car and was locked out of the building. The oil caught fire and spread to the cabinets above the stove. The sprinkler activated and controlled the fire until crews gained entry and extinguished the remaining fire with a pump can.

No injuries were reported.

Source: Brian McCarthy, Fire Marshal, Deerfield-Bannockburn Fire Protection District

July 2020

VILLA PARK, IL (July 20, 2020) – Fire sprinklers stopped a fire from spreading at a Villa Park business that specializes in cleaning restaurant linens and uniforms. According to Villa Park Fire Chief Ron Rakosnik, firefighters were called to the business on the 1000 block of North Villa Avenue just before 9 p.m. Oily rags ignited activating the sprinkler system.

The business had been closed and no one was inside the building when firefighters arrived. Fire officials estimated about $3,000 in damage with no structural damage. No injuries were reported.

“I am convinced that without the activation of the one sprinkler, the business would not have reopened the next day,” Rakosnik said.

Source: Villa Park Fire Department and The Daily Herald Business Ledger

July 2020

MCHENRY, IL (July 18, 2020) – Fire sprinklers controlled a fire that started in a processing machine in a business located in an industrial park.

The McHenry Township Fire Protection District (MTFPD) was dispatched at 8:12 p.m. on July 18, for an activated fire alarm at 833 Ridgeview Drive in McHenry.  Upon arrival to the scene of the one-story large commercial building, firefighters encountered heavy smoke and located the source as a processing machine. The fire was suppressed by the sprinkler system. Firefighters used water pump cans and a dry chemical extinguisher to completely put out the fire before ventilating the building.

“This was a text book example of exactly the manner that sprinklers are designed to work,” said MTFPD Fire Chief Tony Huemann. “The sprinkler system suppressed the main body of fire until the firefighters arrived and completely extinguished the fire.  The activation of the sprinkler system protected the business that produces plastic petroleum products that could have easily become out of control that would have destroyed the entire business and building.”

Source: McHenry Township Fire Protection District (MTFPD)
Northwest Herald: https://www.nwherald.com/2020/07/21/processing-machine-causes-fire-at-mchenry-company/abg2et2/

July 2020

DEER PARK, IL (July 17, 2020) – The Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department responded to a fire in a Deer Park townhome and found a fire sprinkler in the garage extinguished the fire.

When firefighters arrived at the townhome, they found the sprinkler activated and extinguished the fire preventing extensive damage. No injuries were reported.

Source:  Posted by Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department

July 2020

ROMEOVILLE, IL (July 8, 2020) – A fire sprinkler prevented a fire from spreading at Tasty Waffle, 632 S. Weber Road in Romeoville. When Lockport Township Fire Protection District responded, they found a small fire in the office. The sprinkler kept the fire small and prevented it from spreading into the restaurant.

The restaurant was unoccupied at the time of the fire and there were no injuries. No other business units in the building were affected by the fire. The cause of the fire appears to be accidental.

Source: Romeoville Patch

July 2020

ROSELLE, IL (July 7, 2020) – A single fire sprinkler controlled an early morning fire, July 7, in a large multi-tenant commercial building, at 100 N Gary Ave, in Roselle.

According to Chief Mark Bozik, Roselle Fire Department, crews made entry to the pump room and noted fire pump activation, as well as a slight haze and odor of plastic burning.  Conditions revealed dense smoke, but no heat. The crew searched the building and found evidence of a small fire along the south wall, which was completely extinguished by a single sprinkler

The building and contents are valued at more than $6.2 million. The estimated loss thanks to the sprinkler system was $1,000. No injuries were reported.

According to Bozik, this is a perfect example of how an automatic fire sprinkler system can save the property/business owner money and time in the aftermath of a fire.  The fire sprinkler system did what it was designed to do. There was very little property damage, and no injuries or fatalities. The company’s operations were up and running within a day.

Source: Fire Marshal Scott McBride, Roselle Fire Department

June 2020

PEORIA, IL (June 21, 2020) – A fire sprinkler controlled an early morning kitchen fire, June 21, at New Hope Apartments in Downtown Peoria.

The Peoria Fire Department responded to a smoke alarm call. A sprinkler activated and there was a small fire on the stove and counter top in a fifth floor unit. Firefighters turned off the stove and extinguished the remaining fire.

The fire was determined to be accidental and the local chapter of the American Red Cross was called to help find residents shelter for the evening.

Source: Journal Star