Automatic fire sprinkler stops fire in storage facility

An automatic fire sprinkler stopped a fire from spreading after it was started by a welder's torch early Thursday afternoon.

Damage was minimal and the incident was ruled accidental.

Fire dispatchers were notified at 1:25 p.m. by an alarm company the automatic fire sprinkler system at the Store N Lock at 3350 Sirius Avenue had been activated.

When firefighters arrived, smoke was showing from one unit of a one-story metal building. Firefighters forced open the locked unit and found some items stored in the unit were on fire but was put out by the fire sprinkler.

Damage was confined to the one unit and was estimated at $1000.

Fire investigators determined that a worker was using a welder's torch in the next unit which was vacant. The worker was using the torch to make repairs to the metal wall inside the vacant unit. The metal wall got hot and heated the items on the other side of the wall in the unit where the fire started.

If not for the fire sprinkler, crews said the fire could have quickly got out of control and caused extensive damage

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Automatic fire sprinkler stops fire in storage facility