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Tuesday,
June 24, 2008 Structure
Fire at Prescott Airport- Hangar "O" Sprinkler
system saves aircraft and avoids $1.5 million loss. Contributed
by Don Devendorf, Batallion Chief, Prescott Fire Department The
Prescott Regional Communications Center received an automatic alarm notification
of a water flow sensor activation at 0230 on June 24, 2008. One
unit from the fire department was dispatched to check the alarm. On arrival
the first unit reported smoke showing from Hanger O (the letter),
as well as signs that the sprinkler system had been activated. A
First Alarm Structure Response was dispatched to the airport. 3 Fire Engines,
1 Truck Company, 1 Foam Unit, 1 Battalion Chief, 1 Safety Division
Chief, 3 Police units, a Life Line ambulance, and a fire investigator
responded. 20 personnel in all responded. The
fire was found to be in two hangers that shared an adjoining wall. Upon
opening the doors it was found that the fire sprinkler had extinguished
the fire in the hanger of origin, but there was still a small
fire in the adjoining hanger that shared a common steel wall. The second
smaller fire was extinguished by handlines. Investigation
showed that the fire started in the area of a work bench. It
appears that a small refrigerator may have been the cause of the heat that
ignited the rest of the flammable and combustible components on the tool
bench. Of special note was the fact that the wingtip fuel tank on the
plane housed next to the workbench was deformed and close to failure at
the time that the automatic sprinkler system activated and kept the fire
from breaching the fuel tank. Had the tank breached, aircraft fuel would
have been released and much more damage would have been done before
the sprinkler system would have had a chance to increase its water
flow. The aircraft that was saved was valued at $250,000 alone, while
the value of all the building and contents was placed at $1.5 million. There
we no injuries. Fire units, including the investigator, were committed
to the scene for 3 hours. |