Apartment Fire Extinguished by Sprinkler System
Date:
11/09/2009 (Last updated: 11/12/2009)Summary:
On Sunday November 8, 2009 just before 9:00 am, Yuma Fire Department personnel responded to a fire alarm/sprinkler activation at the Villa Nueva Apartments, 750 South 15th Avenue.Contact:
On Sunday November 8, 2009 just before 9:00 am, Yuma Fire Department personnel responded to a fire alarm/sprinkler activation at the Villa Nueva Apartments, 750 South 15th Avenue. Arriving YFD units found that there had been a fire in an apartment, but the fire had been extinguished by the fire sprinkler system. Fire damage was limited to the area around the stove.
A pan of food had been left unattended, which then overheated and ignited. Heat from the flames set off the sprinkler head closest to the stove. The activated sprinkler head also caused an alarm notification to be sent to Public Safety Dispatch, speeding the fire department response. In addition to ensuring the fire was out, YFD personnel turned off the sprinkler to keep water damage to a minimum.
Fire sprinkler systems can keep fires from spreading and can also extinguish them. Fire spreads quickly and can double in size every minute. Even small fires can cause significant damage to personal property and endanger those nearby. Contrary to many Hollywood portrayals, only sprinkler heads directly exposed to the heat (155 degrees for a residential sprinkler) activate, not those in the rest of the room, building, or complex.
In less than two years, two previous fires at this complex (one in an apartment and one in a work shop) have also been extinguished by the fire sprinkler system. Sprinkler systems save lives and protect property.
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