Hampton Mansion reopens today
[11/30/2007] - Visitors are likely to be awed by the opulent 18th- and 19th-century furnishings that fill the historic Hampton Mansion in Towson, which reopens this morning after being closed for nearly three years for a $3.3 million renovation. But guests are not supposed to notice what the staff considers some of the building's most impressive upgrades. link

Sprinklers installed at 2 businesses
[11/30/2007] - WEST SPRINGFIELD - Geraldine's Lounge and Breakers Billiards are now in compliance with the new state regulations regarding sprinkler and alarm systems. The two establishments had come under scrutiny by the city's License Commission earlier this month as the Nov. 15 state deadline approached. The bar owners had contracted with companies to install the equipment, but there was some dispute over permits. link

N.C. Fire Chiefs Push for Sprinklers in New Homes
[11/30/2007] - Raleigh — Fire chiefs statewide are pushing for sprinklers to be required in all new homes, saying they could prevent tragedies like a beach house fire last month that killed seven college students. "The fire at Ocean Isle just really demonstrated the danger that some residential fires present," Chapel Hill Fire Chief Dan Jones said. link

Push to Require Residential Sprinklers
[11/30/2007] - The state department of insurance is showing great interest in two stories we brought you earlier this week. We showed you how home sprinkler systems can save lives and property in a fire. The department wants to air those stories at an upcoming meeting of the state building code council. link

Fayette County mandates sprinklers
[11/29/2007] - All new one- and two-family residential structures in Fayette County will be required to have fire sprinklers beginning April 1. Fayette County commissioners voted 14-5 Tuesday night to make the sprinklers mandatory. The vote came a week after a number of commissioners, at a special meeting, voiced concerns about the mandate and voted against making a decision at that time. link

Apartment fire cause may be determined next week
[11/29/2007] - A Thanksgiving Day apartment fire that displaced 13 people appears to have started on an outdoor balcony, Capt. Chris Heil of the Green Bay Fire Department said. Fire officials hope to officially determine the cause of the blaze at 301 Laverne Drive, Green Bay, by either later this week or early next week, Heil said. The eight-unit Brook Park Apartments did not have a sprinkler system and was not required to have one, he said. link

School safety tied to Our Lady of Angels fire
[11/29/2007] - Next to homes -- and in too many cases, in lieu of homes -- schools are considered safe havens for children. Much of that safety results from fire codes and training teachers to act decisively in the best interest of their students during emergencies. Those attributes are among the legacies of a horrific fire at Chicago's Our Lady of Angels School on Dec. 1, 1958. link

Bernat Mill fire blamed on welding
[11/29/2007] - Illegal welding performed in a basement shop likely sparked the massive July fire at the Bernat Mill, the state fire marshal said yesterday. The sprinkler system in the section of the sprawling mill complex where the fire started had also been padlocked, Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan said. link

One man missing after fire destroys adult group home in Japantown
[11/28/2007] - San Jose firefighters this morning are searching for a man who might have been trapped inside an adult group home in Japantown that was destroyed by an overnight fire. "Our sense is this person was here," fire Capt. Craig Schwinge said. "We don't know if he got out or not." Juan Contreras, 37, who lives in the building, also fears that a fellow resident he only knows as "Poncho" did not get out of the house. link

Ann Arbor firefighters douse basement fire
[11/28/2007] - A building on East University Avenue was evacuated at about 1 p.m. Wednesday because of a fire in the basement. link

Sprinkler system credited with helping control fire
[11/28/2007] - FOREST CITY — Forest City Fire Chief Mark Johnson said a fire Wednesday in a building on the Winnebago Industries complex in Forest City could have been much worse if the building had not been equipped with a sprinkler system. link

Campus sprinkler installation ongoing
[11/27/2007] - One of the biggest construction projects in UNC residence halls in the coming years won't be as noticeable as new air conditioning or a fresh coat of paint. The Department of Housing and Residential Education is embarking on a project to install fire sprinklers in all residence halls by fall 2012. link

Fire Destroys Dublin Stores
[11/27/2007] - A fire destroyed two businesses in Dublin Saturday afternoon. The fire started at the Rivers Run Boot Store on Pine Forest Street and spread to a clothing store next door, according to Dublin Fire Chief Robert Drew. link

Area nursing homes stress fire safety
[11/27/2007] - Sprinkler systems. Fire alarms tied into a dispatching agency. Fire extinguishers. Periodic fire drills. These are some of the provisions signed into law in the wake of last year's tragic Anderson Guest House fire, which occurred a year ago today. link

"Sprinklers Likely Saved Lives In Retirement Home Blaze"
[11/27/2007] - Officials at a retirement home in Franklin said the sprinkler system likely saved lives in Tuesday’s early morning fire. The blaze broke at the Manor at Steeplechase on Cool Springs Boulevard, in a second floor apartment, at about 1 a.m. A lit cigarette is believed to be the cause of the fire link

FAR HILLS: Dryer fire damages three townhouses
[11/27/2007] - A dryer fire today damaged at least three Far Hills Polo Club townhouses, Far Hills-Bedminster fire fighter Brian Wilde said. A resident of a second-floor townhouse, which is next to the Far Hills NJ Transit train station off Route 202, noticed smoke in her unit at approximately 3:30 p.m. this afternoon and called 911. link

Fire causes damage at Coleman plant
[11/26/2007] - The Wichita Fire Department responded to a fire at approximately 7:45 p.m. Sunday at the Coleman plant at 3600 S. Hydraulic. The blaze appeared to have started after a piece of manufacturing equipment began leaking hydraulic fluid, Battalion Fire Chief Rob Hughes said. The plant's sprinkler system confined the blaze to the machine until crews arrived, Hughes said. link

Weekend fire engulfs historic Dublin landmark
[11/26/2007] - A Dublin shopping center was heavily damaged by fire during business hours on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year Saturday, and three firefighters escaped serious injuries when part of the building fell in on them, and even still through all of the devastation and life threatening circumstance Dublin Fire Chief Robert Drew has called the community blessed. link

Lawmaker talks about effort a year after deadly blaze
[11/26/2007] - More than 50 years ago, on a cold February night, a fire swept through a Missouri nursing home, killing 72 residents. In the wake of the deadly fire at Warrenton, Mo., in 1957, legislators vowed to pass laws requiring sprinkler systems in all nursing homes and other institutions. link

Resident Suspected in Fire at Rosewood Center
[11/25/2007] - Investigators say it appears that a resident of the Rosewood Center in Baltimore County started a fire that damaged one of the buildings there. Rosewood is Maryland's largest residential facility for severely disabled adults.  The fire broke out in the McClure building, which houses 20 residents. link

Fire Forces People Out Of University Area Apartments
[11/25/2007] - CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- An evening fire forced a family of five and a young couple out of their University area apartments. The fire broke out on a third story apartment at the Bridges at Mallard Creek on Ship Street, just before 6 p.m. Sunday. link

New Fire Codes Mean Sprinklers In New Construction
[11/22/2007] - Long Beach is going international — with its fire codes. And that plus City Council action will mean automatic sprinkler systems in all new larger buildings — and added over time to buildings being upgraded — in the city. link

Lake Jackson adopts sprinkler ordinance
[11/21/2007] - LAKE JACKSON — Homes built starting in 2009 must have fire sprinkler systems installed as City Council voted 3-2 to require them. Council adopted the codes Monday, requiring all new homes built within the city starting January 2009 to have sprinkler systems. All new commercial properties must have them starting next year. link

Bad light bulb installation sparks fire at Bend assisted living facility
[11/21/2007] - Fire inspectors said that improper installation of two fluorescent light bulbs in a fixture over a bathroom sink was the cause of a fire in one unit of an assisted living facility in northeast Bend on Tuesday afternoon, and credited the building’s sprinkler and alarm systems in addition to well-prepared and quick-acting staff for saving lives and property. link

Unattended cooking blamed for Milford apartment fire
[11/21/2007] - Unattended cooking is being blamed on a early morning fire today that displaced 17 residents of a Milford apartment building. Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal B. Scott Bullock said the blaze broke out about 12:18 a.m. in a fourth-floor apartment at the Silver Lake Estates, in the first block of Linestone Lane in Milford. link

Warehouse Fire Was Intentionally Set
[11/20/2007] - A sprinkler system keeps a fire from getting out of control early Tuesday morning. link

Sprinkler douses fire at Bend assisted-living complex
[11/20/2007] - An early-morning fire in Bend's Awbrey House assisted-living facility Tuesday was quickly doused by a single fire sprinkler head, preventing any injuries and keeping damage to a minimal $4,000, officials said. link

Grapevine may require sprinklers in historic buildings
[11/19/2007] - GRAPEVINE — Building owners on part of Grapevine’s South Main Street would soon have to install fire sprinkler systems under a proposed city ordinance designed to protect historic buildings from fire. The ordinance, aimed at properties in the 300 and 400 blocks of South Main Street, could come up for a City Council vote tonight. Property owners who do not comply would be subject to a fine of up to $2,000 a day. link

Fire sprinkler rules bolstered
[11/17/2007] - A new administrative rule requiring sprinkler systems in most multifamily dwellings would not have affected the outcome of the recent apartment fire on North Carroll Street that caused $206,000 in damages and displaced 30 University of Wisconsin-Madison students. link

Neon Light Leads To Tavern Roof Fire
[11/17/2007] - PORTLAND - A neon light on the roof of Big Shots Tavern on Portland Road Northeast malfunctioned early Saturday morning, sparking a serious fire. link

New Club Fire Laws Taking Effect
[11/16/2007] - BOSTON -- Massachusetts' new fire sprinkler law goes into effect Thursday. The law, which requires any club with an occupancy of 100 or more to install automatic sprinklers, was passed in the wake of the 2003 Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island which killed 100 concert-goers. link

Three bars shut for failure to comply with sprinkler law
[11/15/2007] - Three Boston bars had their licenses suspended for failing to comply with a law requiring sprinklers in establishments that hold more than 100 patrons, the fire department said yesterday. Another 64 were spared, for now, because they filed plans to install sprinkler systems. link

Fillmore council to consider fire sprinklers ordinance
[11/14/2007] - The Fillmore City Council on Nov. 27 will consider an ordinance that would update the city’s building and fire codes and, among many changes, require new and certain existing buildings to have automatic fire sprinkler systems. link

Dorm fire follow-up
[11/12/2007] - Local college students managed to escape a fire in their dorm this weekend and school officials say it was the sprinkler system that got students out safely. link

Albertson's May Reopen This Afternoon
[11/12/2007] - The Albertson's store on Loop 323 near Troup Highway may reopen after the noon hour today following an early-morning fire. link

New York City Mayor Says United Nations Building Is a Hazard to Schoolchildren
[11/12/2007] - New York City's mayor says the United Nations building is such a hazard that he's threatening to suspend school visits unless conditions inside are fixed by early next year. Mayor Michael Bloomberg warned that field trips will stop if sprinklers, smoke detectors, exit signs, emergency lighting, alarms that alert the fire department and other safety features aren't put in place by January and March of 2008, the United Nations told FOXNews.com. link

Power surge blamed for starting fire at senior apartment complex
[11/11/2007] - A senior apartment complex in Orange County was evacuated this morning after a power surge to an answering machine ignited a fire, according to Orange County Fire and Rescue officials. link

Delaying upgrades to Memorial Union put students, others at risk
[11/11/2007] - Here’s what Arizona State University should learn from the now-lengthy closure of Memorial Union after a suspicious fire Nov. 1 — delaying basic safety improvements during building reconstruction doesn’t save any money in the long run, but such procrastination does put people at risk. link

Bars face shutdown over sprinklers
[11/10/2007] - Dozens of bars and nightclubs across the state could be shut down by local fire officials next week because they have failed to install fire sprinklers under a 2004 state law passed after The Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island, which killed 100 people in a fiery stampede. more stories like thisThe deadline is Thursday for installing fire sprinklers in establishments with a capacity of 100 people or more, and local fire officials said they plan to begin revoking bars' licenses at 9 a.m. link

Are U of A Buildings Protected?
[11/9/2007] - The University of Arizona is trying to make sure there are no fires on campus. Just last week the Arizona State Student Union caught fire forcing evacuations and the building to be shut down. link

Some new homes in Johnson City will be equipped with sprinkler systems
[11/9/2007] - When Bill and Maxine McNew bought their new home a year ago, they were pleasantly surprised to learn it came equipped with a sprinkler system. link

Progress on time for Bentonville Fire Station
[11/8/2007] - BENTONVILLE — When constructing a new building, most will keep their sprinklers well hidden. Fire Chief Dan White said the Bentonville Fire Department wants to keep its sprinklers out in the open. link

Business fire in west Charlotte
[11/8/2007] - Fire officials say a working sprinkler system and alarm helped make their work easier and limited damage during a blaze this morning at a west Charlotte business. The fire was reported shortly before 7 a.m. at Pavco Inc., in the 1900 block of John Crosland Jr. Drive, off Wilkinson Boulevard west of Steele Creek Road. link

Fire at tobacco storage building burns up $100,000 of leaf
[11/8/2007] - A fire broke out at Alliance One Tobacco Co. Wednesday evening, burning up $100,000 worth of tobacco. Firefighters were called to the building at 2400 Stantonsburg Road about 8:13 p.m. They found a fire had ignited in a storage area where tobacco had been stacked, Wilson Fire/Rescue Services Battalion Commander Mike Brown said this morning. link

Officials say lack of maintenance led to Caldwell Rotonics plant fire
[11/8/2007] - CALDWELL — An investigation by the Caldwell Fire Department into the Tuesday fire at Rotonics Inc. rotational plastic molding plant found that a lack of maintenance, spilled plastic left uncleaned and inadequate safety features contributed to the blaze and its spread. link

UPDATE: Spring Lake Apartment fire
[11/8/2007] - Spring Lake - Investigators returned to the scene of the fire Wednesday at the Woodland Ridge Complex. Early Tuesday morning a building at the complex caught on fire damaging several units. link

Fires may spur sprinkler bill
[11/7/2007] - There is a growing movement in South Carolina to make it easier to install fire sprinklers in businesses and homes in the wake of the tragedies this year in Charleston and Ocean Isle Beach. link

Thursday's Memorial Union blaze was a powerful reminder of the damage that can be caused when buildings aren't fully equipped with fire sprinklers.
[11/7/2007] - Newly constructed buildings on campus have them. So do residence halls. But not the second floor of the Memorial Union. And when a fire broke out there last Thursday, it was the absence of a sprinkler system in most of the MU that came to the media's forefront. The fire, which did not result in any injuries, started in a storage room next to the Arizona Ballroom on the Union's second floor, which houses meeting rooms and a restaurant. link

Historic theater set to get sprinkler system
[11/7/2007] - Efforts are getting under way to design and install an overdue sprinkler system in Santa Paula's 90-year-old Ebell Clubhouse, a nationally recognized landmark that is home to the Santa Paula Theater Center. link

Orgin of Woodland Ridge Fire Located
[11/7/2007] - SPRING LAKE TOWNSHIP — Investigators still have not determined the cause of an early Tuesday morning fire at Woodland Ridge Apartments, though they have determined where the fire started. link

Grain elevator fire quickly controlled
[11/7/2007] - A working sprinkler system helped contain a grain elevator fire this afternoon in Kansas City. link

Sprinkler puts out fire in Delaware Avenue building
[11/5/2007] - A functioning sprinkler system was credited with putting out a fire in a seventh-floor room where residents store their garbage at a high-rise Delaware Avenue apartment building early this morning, Buffalo fire officials reported. link

Unattended Cooking Leads to Apartment Fire
[11/5/2007] - A family of four is staying with friends after an early-morning fire in their apartment. link

Blaze Guts Condo Unit, Forces Dozens From Homes
[11/2/2007] - CROMWELL - A quick-moving fire gutted a first-story condominium unit at Cromwell Gardens Thursday afternoon, damaging several surrounding units and potentially displacing dozens of residents. link

New Sprinkler System Saves Seniors' Home from Serious Fire
[11/2/2007] - Residents at the Rose of Sharon senior home are grateful today that a fire didn't do that much damage and no one was hurt. The fire broke out around 5:30pm Thursday at the building on East Taylor Street in downtown Savannah. A woman on the sixth floor was cooking dinner and it caught fire. Fire at Rose of Sharon Forces Evacuation. link

Fire codes may be upgraded
[11/1/2007] - OCEAN ISLE BEACH, N.C. --A push to change state fire codes in the wake of the blaze that took seven lives here is expected to gain momentum Friday, once investigators release their findings. link

Officials say Sprinklers Would Have Slowed Fire
[11/1/2007] - WILMINGTON, NC (2007-11-01) Officials say a working sprinkler system would not have stopped the fire from rushing through the home in Ocean Isle Beach, but it would have slowed it down. Robert Solomon with the National Fire Protection Association says nothing in the construction or design of beach houses makes them more vulnerable to fire. link

Fire causes extensive damage to Coon Rapids apartment building
[11/1/2007] - Fire severely damaged an apartment building in the Baneberry complex on Hanson Boulevard, Coon Rapids, early this morning (Thursday, Nov. 1). But all the residents, between 30 and 35, of the 21-unit, three-level building at 11245 Hanson Blvd., one of six in the Baneberry complex, got out safely link

Study: Fire Risk Greater for College Students
[11/1/2007] - Following the beach house fire that killed seven college students, the Clemson University fire chief is reminding students to protect themselves from fire danger. A recent study cited in USA Today said that the risk of fire in college housing is greater than in housing used in the general population. link