Fire Sprinkler Systems By MAFSCO Helping to Save Lives and Property...

News Article:
Edgewood Valley Country Club
Unincorporated Cook County, Suburban Life
The Pleasantview Fire Protection District responded to the automatic fire alarm and discovered contents in the commercial dryer on fire. A single fire sprinkler activated and immediately extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported and damage to the immediate area was minimal. The country club reopened within the hour with minor disruption to business. Fire officials recalled that in May 1994, a sprinkler prevented major damage during a kitchen fire at the country club.
Chief Dan Hermes
B/C Dan Tholotowsky

News Article:
Cuisine of India Restaurant
Mt.Prospect, Daily Herald
An automatic sprinkler helped keep a kitchen fire at bay that originated in a kitchen exhaust duct. When firefighters arrived at the scene, the automatic sprinkler went off, quelling the flames, Mount Prospect Fire Department Capt. Tony Huemann said. "It held the fire and kept it from spreading to the rest of the building," he said. About 15 people had to be evacuated from the restaurant, another neighboring restaurant and a hair salon all in the same strip mall. While the restaurant was closed the next day, the neighboring businesses were open.
Chief Mike Figolah
Fire Marshal Paul Valentine

News Article:
St. Sabina Elder Village
Chicago
A single sprinkler extinguished a fire in the bathroom of a sixth floor apartment at the St. Sabina Elder Village in Chicago. The fire started in a garbage can in the bathroom and started to spread when a single sprinkler activated and extinguished the fire. Firefighters from the Chicago Fire Department evacuated the residents and found smoke, but the fire was extinguished.
Commissioner James Joyce
Deputy Commissioner Kenneth Wideman

News Article:
Precise Castings
St. Charles, Daily Herald
A fire sprinkler system is credited with controlling a machinery fire at the Precise Castings facility. According to the St. Charles Fire Department, the system helped put out the fire. Chief Larry Swanson FPB David Mansfield JUNE 2002: Wynstone Clubhouse Wauconda The Wauconda Fire Department was dispatched to a fire alarm at the Wynstone Clubhouse. Upon arrival, crews noticed smoke coming from the kitchen exterior window. Butter melting on the stovetop ignited, starting a fire. A single sprinkler activated and extinguished the fire prior to the fire department arriving at the scene. Crews assisted with the clean up and the sprinkler system was back in service within two hours.
Chief Dave Dato
Deputy Fire Marshal Joseph Schwarz

News Article:
Creekside Condominiums
Mt. Prospect
The Mount Prospect Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle fire in the underground parking garage at Creekside Condominiums. Upon arrival there was visible smoke from outside the building. Fire- fighters were able to enter the smoke filled garage and aggressively extinguish the fire. According to Fire Marshal Paul Valentine, the fire investigation revealed that two automatic sprinklers had activated and controlled the fire until the fire departments arrival. "This fire very easily could have spread to adjacent vehicles and perhaps other portions of the building had it not been for the sprinkler system and aggressive suppression efforts of the responding fire departments," Valentine reported.
Chief Mike Figolah
Fire Marshal Paul

News Article:
Valentine Golf View Developmental Center
Des Plaines
A single fire sprinkler extinguished a fire in a laundry room after a fire started in an industrial clothes dryer. According to Fire Marshal Arnold Witzki, North Maine Fire Protection District, a resident saw smoke coming from a commercial dryer and tried to save the clothes by moving them to a nearby canvas laundry basket. The basket caught fire and residents tried to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher. When firefighters arrived, they found a light haze. Witzki said the single sprinkler extinguished the fire preventing injury and significant damage to the 4-year old building.
Chief RobertBatey

News Article:
76-year-old System Saves College Building
State College, Pennsylvania
What is believed to be the oldest sprinkler system in the borough has saved a 3- to 4-story wood frame combination occupancy building. The dry pipe sprinkler system was first installed in 1926 and has been maintained as per NFPA- 25. According to Chief Fire Inspector Dave Felice, the activated system saved the building and no doubt the entire block.
On April 15, 2002,a fire started in the basement dry-goods storage room. Four sprinkler heads activated to contain the fire that had catastrophic headlines in waiting. The fire department arrived on the scene only to have minor suppression instead of conflagration operations. This out of the area report is given to inform readers that a 76- year-old system will protect life and property if properly maintained.
A lesson for parents lies within this notation: check out the buildings that your children will be living in while attending college. Ask to see emergency evacuation plans and make sure the buildings your non-replaceable children are residing in are protected with functioning alarms and automatic fire sprinkler systems.

News Article:
Premium Wood Products
Batavia, The Kane County Chronicle
A fire sprinkler stopped a fire inside a dust hopper at Premium Wood Products. When firefighters responded to the business, they found the building full of smoke and an activated sprinkler head. There was no damage to the building or its contents. "The sprinkler system saved the building,"said Batavia Fire Chief William Darin.

News Article:
Menard's Warehouse
Fox Lake, Daily Herald
Fox Lake firefighters were called to a fire inside a warehouse at Menard's. Upon arrival, they found heavy smoke coming from the north side of the building, inside the ware house, stacked rolls of insulation caught fire. Fire sprinklers inside the warehouse activated, controlling the fire until firefighters arrived. Ronald Hoehne is the chief of the Fox Lake Fire Department.

News Article:
Walter Brothers Roofing Building Villa Park
Villa Park/Oakbrook Terrace Argus
Fire broke out when an employee working on a forklift broke the natural gas line of a suspended space heater.
According to Villa Park Fire Chief Robert Wilson, an automatic alarm alerted the Fire Department that the sprinkler system activated. When firefighters arrived on the scene, Wilson said there was a light haze of smoke, but no fire. "The only thing we had to do was turn off the sprinklers," Wilson said.
Two sprinklers activated and extinguished the fire. The employee shut off the gas. Wilson estimated $300 in damages, including water.

News Article:
Bowling Alley Kitchen
Countryside, Des Plaines Valley News
A fire that broke out in the Rolling Lanes Bowling Alley was confined to the kitchen area with help from a fire sprinkler. According to Dan Tholotowsky, fire marshal for the Pleasantview Fire Protection District, the fire appeared to be cooking related. "There was a sprinkler that was activated. This saved the whole room," Tholotowsky said. While the kitchen was closed for clean-up, the bowling facility was opened the next day.

News Article:
Value City Furniture Store
Calumet City, The Daily Southtown
Two fire sprinklers prevented a fire, believed to be caused by a faulty extension cord, from destroying the Value City Furniture store in Calumet City.
The fire alarm for the store came into the department at 23:43 hours and companies arrived to find water flowing and some smoke exiting the roof of the structure.
According to Assistant Chief Steve Williams, Calumet City Fire Department, this is the second time sprinklers saved their business.
Several years ago a large fire in the warehouse caused 18 sprinklers to activate, but only minimal structural damage occurred at that time.
Fire damage was contained to some plywood and limited merchandise while smoke damage was primarily contained to the warehouse areas.

News Article:
Long Grove Home
The News-Sun
The Long Grove Fire District was called to a home under construction for a fire in the garage. According to Chief Greg Cook, construction workers heard water running and looked into the garage to find a white haze of smoke and two sprinklers running.
Fire officials said the fire started after rags with some refinishing chemicals left in a construction debris pile spontaneously combusted. The house valued at $2 million suffered minimal smoke and water damage, but there was no fire damage. The fire occurred just weeks before the house closing.
According to the builder, Donald Silsch, Constant Custom Homes, when construction workers first heard the water they thought something was wrong with the fire sprinkler system. Then they realized there was a fire. Silsch has a fire sprinkler system in his home.

News Article:
Not Counting On The Luck Of The Irish, Notre Dame Retrofits
As one of only six universities in the U.S. with its own fire department, Notre Dame places a priority on the safety of its students that is unmatched.
Since 1979, Norte Dame has been retrofitting its residence halls with sprinkler systems to ensure maximum safety in the event of a fire. More than half of the residence halls' gross square footage is now sprinklered. The university's policy requires sprinklers to be installed in any new or renovated building.
This summer, fire sprinklers are scheduled to be installed in six of fifteen residence halls. The remaining nine will be completed over winter break and during the summer of 2001. The installation project will total 751,050 square feet.

Sources:

FPC/Fire Protection Contractor Magazine
NFPA Journal, published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Sprinkler Age Magazine, published by the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA)