Fire Department

A flash fire inside an east side apartment was quickly caught by an automatic fire sprinkler, and nobody was injured during the incident.

Occupants were evacuating as Engine Co. 3 arrived to the 800 block of Williamson Street to investigate. A bystander reported there had been a fire on the second floor. Engine Co. 3 entered to find an automatic fire sprinkler flowing but no active fire underway. Firefighters shut down the sprinkler system, and Ladder Co. 1 assisted with removing water from the unit.

The occupant reported they were heating up a butane-powered hot pot when flames started coming from around the butane bottle instead of from the burner. The occupant threw water at the flames, which caused a flare-up that triggered the automatic fire sprinkler overhead. The sprinkler put out the fire prior to firefighters’ arrival and likely prevented fire-related injury to the occupant.

Building maintenance staff responded to the scene to reset the sprinkler and alarm system and assist the occupants.