Fire sprinklers make difference in 2 commercial fires

Automated fire sprinklers made the difference between major and minor damage in two commercial fires on Friday, according to an official with the Yuma Fire Department.

Spokesman Mike Erfert said the first fire started at about 5:40 p.m., with firefighters responding to the San Carlos Hotel, which is located at 106 E. 1st Street.

Once on scene firefighters found that a cardboard box had been left on top of a stove inside one of the apartments, and had accidentally caught on fire.

A fire sprinkler head in the kitchen of the apartment automatically activated from the radiant heat and extinguished the fire.

Erfert said firefighters made sure the fire was completely out, and assisted with cleanup.

There were no injuries, and fire damage was limited to the cardboard box on top of the stove and cabinet above.

Just seven hours later, at about 11:40 p.m., firefighters responded to a report of a fire at Fruit Growers Supply (FGS), which is at 4136 E. 32nd St.

Arriving firefighters found a pallet of cardboard shipping boxes in the warehouse that had been left on a platform lift approximately 20 feet above the ground.

Erfert explained that the shipping boxes had been placed too close to a light fixture and had ignited. One fire sprinkler had automatically activated from radiant heat, and suppressed the fire long enough for firefighters to arrive.

Because the sprinkler activated, it prevented the fire from spreading to more than just one other pallet of shipping boxes and limited the damage done to the ceiling.

Firefighters fully extinguished the fire, and ventilated the smoke from the warehouse.

Erfert added that in each of these situations, fire sprinklers significantly limited the amount of fire damage to contents within the areas of origin, and saved the buildings from any structural fire damage.

It is estimated that the amount of physical property saved by fire sprinklers in these two fires alone exceeds $6 million dollars.

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 property and endanger those nearby.

Contrary to many Hollywood portrayals, only sprinkler heads directly exposed to the heat are activated, not those in the rest of the room, building or complex.

James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854. Find him on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/YSJamesGilbert or on Twitter @YSJamesGilbert.