Surplus to make up loss of sprinkler fees
[1/30/2008] - When the Charleston Water System eliminated sprinkler fees worth at least $3 million a year, utility officials worried a rate increase might be needed to make up the lost revenue, but the utility has ended 2007 with $9 million more in income than expected. link

Evacuees allowed back in after fire at Agua Caliente Casino
[1/30/2008] - A fire at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage that caused an evacuation is under control and evacuees are now being allowed back into the casino, according to casino representatives. link

Renevations worked on Dailey
[1/29/2008] - The historic Morris Dailey Auditorium and Tower Hall are currently undergoing a $2.2 million renovation and fire-life safety improvements.  Annie Shi, a project manager in SJSU's Facilities Development and Operations, explained that the renovations and fire-sprinkler installments are two projects under one contract. link

Vandals damage Loveland church
[1/28/2008] - Members of the Loveland campus of the Vineyard Church of the Rockies showed up for services Sunday morning, but executive pastor Hans Breuer had to send them away.  The indoor sprinkler system activated, Loveland Fire and Rescue inspector Ty Drage said, extinguishing all the small fires before any could grow out of control. link

Fire damages Veterans Elementary School classroom
[1/28/2008] - Provincetown - A fire Sunday night damaged a classroom at the Veterans Memorial Elementary School and was put out by the building's sprinkler system. link

Basement fire causes evacuation at Appleton hotel
[1/27/2008] - APPLETON — Fire believed to have started in a towel laundry area forced the evacuation of about 40 people Sunday night from the CopperLeaf Boutique Hotel, 300 W. College Ave. Battalion Chief Tony Palma of the Appleton Fire Department said investigators still were looking into the cause of the fire, which occurred in the basement and destroyed a computer and at least two-dozen towels. link

Ex-lawmaker Neal takes pride in sprinkler law
[1/26/2008] - Like many Nevadans, former state Sen. Joe Neal sat in front of his television Friday watching firefighters put out the Monte Carlo blaze. The words he enjoyed hearing most were "no injuries." "I guess we did some good and lasting work," he said. It was Neal who, along with fellow Democrat Bill Hernstadt, introduced in 1981 the bill requiring Nevada high-rise buildings to install sprinkler systems in all rooms. The bill came three months after the disastrous Nov. 21, 1980, fire at the MGM Grand, now the site of Bally's, in which 87 people died and hundreds were injured. link

A 'vertical community' to rise again
[1/26/2008] - Last weekend, not quite three weeks since a New Year's Eve fire ravaged the old Hotel Eaton condos at 309 Emerson St., former residents met quietly at the L Street Bathhouse to talk about the future. more stories like thisIn the aftermath of the fire, which killed two residents, the remaining 17 condo owners have begun to face the emotionally fraught tasks of dealing with their neighbors' deaths, their own homelessness, and rebuilding their lives. Now they are beginning to make plans for rebuilding the historic South Boston site they call home. link

Suspicious fire damages discount store in Vancouver
[1/26/2008] - A smoky two-alarm fire forced the evacuation of the Value Village store on Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard Saturday night, but there were no injuries. The fire, which has been classified as suspicious, did $70,000 damage to the store, according to Jim Flaherty, spokesman for the Vancouver Fire Department. About 45 customers and five employees were in the thrift store, 7110 N.E. Fourth Plain Blvd., at the time the fire broke out, Flaherty said. But alarms sounded and everyone inside got out without incident or injury. The sprinkler system deployed and prevented spread of the flames. more

Early morning fire damages H&M Construction
[1/25/2008] - An early morning fire caused only minor damage to H&M Construction at 50 Security Drive in Jackson, according to the Jackson Fire Department. link

Sprinkler saves WDM man's apartment from fire
[1/25/2008] - A West Des Moines man averted what could have been a major apartment fire thanks to his building�s sprinkler system. West Des Moines firefighters were called Thursday at 7:54 p.m. to a fire at 6699 Vista Drive, Apt. 99306. Firefighters said the a 24-year-old tenant was trying to fry chicken on the stove. The man was heating cooking oil in a frying pan, turned the burner on high and left to use the restroom. link

Every Jersey high-rise needs fire sprinklers
[1/24/2008] - All high-rise buildings constructed in New Jersey since 1987 are equipped with up-to-date fire-sprinkler systems, as required by law. That is the good news. The bad news is that some 490 similar high-rises — about half of the state's total — lack fire-sprinkler systems of any kind or are guarded by grossly inadequate sprinkler coverage because they were built before the regulations went into effect. link

City is ahead on fire safety
[1/24/2008] - AIKEN --- In the wake of the deaths of nine Charleston firefighters last summer, state lawmakers are getting tough with fire safety and prevention. Lawmakers have introduced several bills in the General Assembly concerning the installation of fire sprinkler systems in commercial buildings. link

Sprinklers keep fire from spreading in Haverhill condo building
[1/23/2008] - HAVERHILL - One day after Lawrence suffered one of the worst fires in its history, a blaze broke out in one of Haverhill's historic downtown brick buildings. But thanks to a building sprinkler system that worked as intended, the fire was kept in check until firefighters arrived, avoiding what could have been a disaster, fire officials said. link

Firefighters, state lawmakers endorse sprinkler systems
[1/22/2008] - Carlton Smith, a resident of the former Heritage Woods apartment complex on Talbird Road, came home from work at 2 a.m. Nov. 19, 2004, and made himself a greasy late-night snack. By 4:40 a.m., Smith, his girlfriend and their 2-year-old son were fleeing a fire that left seven families homeless. Firefighters later determined that a pot left on the couple's stove had started the blaze. If the building had a sprinkler system installed, the fire never would have left the kitchen, according to Beaufort Fire Department spokesman Lt. Dan Byrne. link

Sprinkler System Limited Damage at Schnucks
[1/22/2008] - Four associates were working in the store when the blaze broke out about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. They left the store and were not injured. No customers were in the 24-hour store at the time. "The sprinkler system did its job," remarked Washington Fire Chief Bill Halmich, one of the first firefighters on the scene. "It controlled the fire and extinguished it." link

Fire Destroys 2 Colorado TV Studios
[1/21/2008] - GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) — Fire destroyed the studios of two television stations in a shared building, blocking local broadcasts, officials said Monday. The fire broke out Sunday morning in the studios of KREX-TV and KFQX-TV. Five people inside escaped safely, but the building was a total loss. Damage was put at about $6 million. It wasn't clear when the stations, which have separate owners, would broadcast again. KREX is a CBS affiliate and KFQX is a Fox affiliate. link

Blaze destroys two businesses
[1/17/2008] - AYNOR --A large building fire Wednesday closed U.S. 501 and forced the evacuation of a nearby day care center. The fire, at 2695 U.S. 501 E., destroyed a cabinet shop and a small furniture store. Smoke from the fire could been seen 15 miles away. link

Dismantling home sprinkler system misconceptions
[1/17/2008] - You can barely tell they are there, but when you need them, you will know. As Wrightsville Beach Fire Department volunteer firefighter Steve Lewis and his wife, Erika, retrofit sprinklers into their kitchen at 6 Point Place during renovation, Lewis and Fire Chief Frank Smith felt the need to dismiss any misconceptions about home fire sprinkler systems. Some misconceptions are that they are unattractive; that if one goes off, they all will, causing water damage; that they can accidentally go off; and that they are expensive. link

Galt council backs mandate for sprinklers
[1/16/2008] - Following an emotional debate over money, fire and saving lives, the Galt City Council on Tuesday night backed the idea of making fire sprinklers mandatory for every new home or business built in the city. The council must still vote on a new sprinkler ordinance this spring before the move is official. link

Fire damages massage parlor in East Naples
[1/16/2008] - East Naples firefighters responded to a blaze Wednesday night at a massage business on Radio Road. At 7:09 p.m. firefighters received a call of a fire alarm at 3960 Radio Road, said East Naples fire spokesman Greg Speers. They then learned that there was a fire in unit 209, on the top floor of a three-story commercial building. link

Sprinklers Stop Apartment Fire
[1/15/2008] - HARRISONBURG - Maintenance worker Bruce Deeter spent Monday afternoon soaking up water, airing out hallways and installing new doors after an overnight fire broke out at the Loewner Apartment building, where he lives and works. Deeter said he received a phone call from the fire department around 3 a.m. on Monday notifying him of the blaze in the lobby of the building, located two blocks north of Court Square at 157 N. Main St. He said he then ran downstairs from his third-floor apartment to help. link

Strengthen law on sprinklers
[1/15/2008] - Two events last year have put fire suppression as a key topic of conversation in South Carolina. The first was a Charleston fire in which nine firefighters died while battling a blaze at a furniture store. It was the nation's worst loss of firefighters since the Sept. 11, 2001, disaster at the World Trade Center. link

Valley's Only Sonic Drive-In a 'Total Loss' Following Fire
[1/14/2008] - A long rebuilding is in store for the area's only Sonic Drive-In Restaurant after fire caused made it a "total loss." The fast food restaurant had opened for nearly three months at its Cathedral City location on Date Palm Drive. link

Action on sprinkler mandates
[1/13/2008] - The good news is that during the state Legislature's first week there was significant movement toward toughening the state fire code, including mandating sprinkler systems in many existing commercial structures. We are particularly encouraged that two state senators whose communities have been dramatically impacted by horrendous fire tragedies are working to find common ground. link

Impact of Emmons apartment fire lives on
[1/12/2008] - HUNTINGTON -- Memories, lessons and lawsuits live on 12 months after a massive fire claimed nine lives and destroyed the Emmons Jr. apartment building. Firefighters were called to the scene about 11 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007. The Emmons Jr. was part of a two-building apartment complex, located in the 1200 block of 3rd Avenue. Both buildings were eventually demolished. link

NU's fire safety nearly perfect
[1/9/2008] - Campus fires are a hot issue. In 2007, seven individuals died in fires in student housing nationwide. One occurred in Illinois at Bradley University, where an Aug. 12 prank involving alcohol and explosives cost one student his life. Since 2000, 101 students have perished in campus-related blazes. But Northwestern doesn't play with fire, at least according to the Princeton Review's fire safety ratings. link

Los Alamitos seniors homeless after fire
[1/9/2008] - LOS ALAMITOS (KABC) -- Twenty seniors are looking for a new place to live after fire rips through their building in Los Alamitos. Investigators say an unattended candle started the fire inside a unit at a senior living facility along the 4100 block of Katella Ave. Luckily, the sprinkler system kicked on, helping to keep the flames in check. link

No injuries reported after fire at Denver hotel
[1/9/2008] - DENVER (AP) - No injuries are reported after an early-morning fire at a Denver hotel. The blaze broke out around 3 a.m. Wednesday at the Denver Marriott Tech Center. link

SC Firefighters Support Fire Sprinklers Bill
[1/9/2008] - South Carolina firefighters have seen for themselves the difference that a fire sprinkler system can make in saving lives and limiting property damage. So at a public hearing Wednesday at the Statehouse, they stood united behind a bill to require sprinklers in all commercial buildings in the state. link

Orinda, Moraga adopt sprinkler ordinance
[1/8/2008] - Orinda and Moraga are among the first areas in the county to require fire sprinklers in all new homes. The ordinance proposed by the Moraga-Orinda Fire District took effect Dec. 18 in Moraga and will take effect Jan. 17 in Orinda. The mandate also applies to new commercial buildings. Assistant state fire marshal Tonya Hoover said cities throughout the state are requiring the life-saving systems, and many Contra Costa fire agencies are asking their cities to do the same. link

Cumberland school sprinklers douse fire
[1/8/2008] - CUMBERLAND — One student was sent to the hospital for smoke inhalation and faculty and students were briefly evacuated from the high school yesterday morning after a small fire broke out in an attached storage garage. link

Guests evacuated in Shelter Island hotel fire
[1/7/2008] - SAN DIEGO – Hotel guests were evacuated early Monday morning after a fire caused by an electrical failure broke out at a Shelter Island hotel. The two-alarm blaze was reported at the Bay Club Hotel & Marina on Shelter Island Drive at 6:24 a.m., according to San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Maurice Luque. link

Encinitas revising its fire sprinkler ordinance
[1/5/2008] - ENCINITAS -- The Encinitas Fire Department is preparing to update its ordinance for fire sprinklers and wants the community to weigh in. That's why fire Marshal Robert Scott is encouraging residents -- and architects and developers who work in the city -- to attend a workshop from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 505 S. Vulcan Ave. link

Fire safety group urges compliance with sprinkler law
[1/3/2008] - They’ve sent letters to the Columbia City Council, a city commission, the Columbia Fire Department and city staff. Now, the parents of 13 college students who died in campus fires across the country since 1996 have signed letters mailed to every University of Missouri fraternity and sorority, asking them not to oppose an ordinance requiring Greek houses to install fire-suppression sprinklers. link

City pulls liquor licenses for three social clubs; Failure to install sprinkler systems the reason
[1/3/2008] - HAVERHILL - The city has forced three social clubs to stop selling liquor in their bars because they failed to install overhead sprinkler systems by New Year's Day, a deadline set by the state. The sprinklers are required by a new law targeting fire safety at nightclubs and bars. The Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island that killed 100 people five years ago inspired the law. link

Stores damaged in fire to reopen within weeks
[1/3/2008] - STATE COLLEGE — Three stores displaced by a downtown fire last month are on pace to reopen within weeks, business owners said Wednesday. An overnight blaze on Dec. 2 charred part of the Old Main Frame Shop, 136 E. College Ave., and damaged the adjacent Apple Tree and Kid’s Clothesline stores. link

Sprinkler systems faulty; apartment management cited in fire that displaced 24
[1/2/2008] - Virginia Beach fire investigators tell WAVY.com that the sprinkler system at Marina Shores Apartments had been turned off for repairs before a fast moving fire on New Year's Day. That fire displaced 25 of its residents. Battalion Chief David Hutcheson tells Wavy.com, "The sprinkler system had been shut down. They'd had a leaking sprinkler head that they were working on and had shut it down at 11:30 that morning. And of course the fire came in at 4:45." link

Man burned in Antioch fire
[1/1/2008] - ANTIOCH, CA -- An elderly man who suffered burns to his face, chest and back after a fire broke out in his Antioch apartment early this morning is lucky his building is equipped with an indoor sprinkler system, fire officials said today. link