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Sprinkler prevents fire from spreading throughout Campbell River apartment building

Firefighters credit sprinkler with preventing flames, damage from spreading in new apartment complex
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A fire sprinkler prevented a new apartment building from major damage last week, the Campbell River fire department says.

When fire broke out in a fourth-floor apartment on the 700 block of Merecroft Rd. just after midnight last Thursday, a single fire sprinkler helped keep flames under control until fire crews arrived.

“No one was home in that apartment, but occupants in the rest of the large complex were awoken by the fire alarm, and that single sprinkler helped contain the fire,” says fire chief Ian Baikie.

Fire and smoke damage were confined to a single fourth-storey unit, and water from the fire sprinkler migrated into units below the apartment where the fire occurred.

“Some tenants will be displaced for a few days while the water is dealt with by the building owner, but there were no injuries, and this is a much better outcome than a fire in an unoccupied unit without fire sprinklers,” Baikie says. “In that case, we usually see fire and smoke damage at least throughout the floor where the fire occurred and often damage to exterior and lower floors.

“If it hadn’t been for that sprinkler, people could have been out of their homes for weeks and months,” he adds.

“Resident of multi-residential buildings in Campbell River benefit from a city building bylaw that has been in place for more than 25 years and requires fire sprinklers in all buildings with more than two residential units. This forward-looking public safety provision has prevented tragedy in the past and sets us up well for fire protection in the future,” Baikie says.