Fire sprinklers help to quickly extinguish apartment fire in Woodland

This fire sprinkler kept the two occupants of the apartment where the fire occurred safe along with all of their neighbors in other units throughout the building

Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue team members, as well as some Woodland residents, were very thankful for fire sprinklers Thursday morning.   

Just after midnight on Thanksgiving morning, a fire broke out in an occupied apartment building in the 1300 Block of Glenwood Street in Woodland. The fire started when an appliance was accidentally left on and overheated, causing a fire that spread to the cabinets below.   

The apartment building was protected by fire sprinklers and shows no visible signs of damage from the fire that occurred early Thanksgiving morning in Woodland. Photo courtesy of Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue
The apartment building was protected by fire sprinklers and shows no visible signs of damage from the fire that occurred early Thanksgiving morning in Woodland. Photo courtesy of Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue

Fire crews were notified of the fire by an automatic fire alarm tied to the fire sprinkler system.  A single fire sprinkler, ensuring minimal damage and no injuries or loss of life, quickly and automatically controlled the fire.  

This fire sprinkler kept the two occupants of the apartment where the fire occurred safe along with all of their neighbors in other units throughout the building.  There was very minor fire damage to a cabinet along with some minimal water damage that was limited to the first floor.   

Division Chief Mike Jackson of Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue said, “This situation would have been much worse had the building not been protected with fire sprinklers.  There likely would have been significantly more damage along with a greater risk of injury to the building occupants.”   

Jackson further stated that, “We are also reminded in times like this of how thankful we are for our crews that respond quickly 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, and 365 days-a-year, especially on holidays like today when they are at work, serving the community away from their families.’’

Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue encourages home owners and building owners to consider protecting their property and family members with fire sprinklers.  Fire sprinklers offer the most effective way to protect structures and people from building fires.  

Visit Clark Cowlitz Fire Rescue at www.clarkfr.org for more information about fire sprinklers.

Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue (CCFR) serves over 45,000 people in a 125-square-mile area, including the cities of La Center, Ridgefield, and Woodland, as well as the Cowlitz Indian Reservation. The combination department includes full-time and volunteer firefighters responding to more than 4,200 fire and emergency medical calls a year.  CCFR also provides comprehensive risk reduction and fire marshal services in the cities of our District.  CCFR operates under a balanced budget, and has a history of passing independent financial audits by the state. Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue, formerly known as Clark County Fire & Rescue, changed its name in 2020 to better reflect the communities it serves.

Information provided by Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue.