Fire Department

An automatic fire sprinkler is credited for catching a fire quickly, minimizing damage, and preventing injury inside a downtown apartment.

Engine Co. 1 responded to the 300 block of W. Washington Avenue to investigate a fire alarm activation. Residents were evacuating as firefighters arrived at the multi-story apartment building. The alarm panel indicated a problem on the fourth floor. Firefighters proceeded to the fourth floor and noticed a slight haze in the hallway. They came to find an activated sprinkler head in one of the apartments with someone inside collecting their things. A charred plastic bag of groceries was found on the stovetop.

The occupant explained they had just gone grocery shopping and set some bags of groceries on the stove. They went back downstairs to move their vehicle and when they returned, the fire alarm was going off. The occupant was unsure how the burner got turned on but surmised they may have bumped it when they set down the groceries.

A sprinkler head just above the stove was triggered by heat from the fire and activated automatically to put the fire out. The groceries were the only items damaged by the flames. Fire did not extend beyond the stovetop or damage the kitchen cabinets. The occupant did not suffer any injuries as a result of the incident.