Automatic Fire Sprinkler Extinguishes Cooking Fire

A fire sprinkler quickly contained and extinguished a cooking fire at an east-side apartment.

Ladder 8 responded to a 5-story apartment building on Rise Lane to investigate an alarm activation. During their investigation, they found that an activated sprinkler head had extinguished a pot of oil in one of the apartments. The occupant there stated they’d been heating oil on the stove top when they became distracted by a disturbance outside their unit. When they returned to their apartment, the oil was on fire. 

A sprinkler activated and extinguished the fire after the pot of oil was knocked on the floor. Firefighters confirmed the fire did not spread to nearby walls.  

The fire caused damage to the cabinets above. Firefighters assisted building maintenance with removing water from the apartment. The American Red Cross is assisting the occupants who have been displaced as a result of the incident.

Cooking is the most common cause of home fires. The Madison Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Division reminds all residents to turn off their stove if stepping away, even if for a moment. Prevention Officers credit the automatic fire sprinkler for quickly containing and extinguishing the fire, preventing injury from occurring, minimizing damage, and protecting all occupants of the multi-family building.