Yuma, Arizona - Monday, just before 12:00 pm, smoke was reported coming from a compactor at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, 1212 South Castle Dome Avenue. Arriving Yuma Fire Department personnel found that a fire had started in the large commercial compactor at the business. The heat from the fire activated the Fire Sprinkler System, protecting that area of the building.
The fire was contained and extinguished by the sprinklers. Damage was limited to the materials being compacted inside the unit.
The store was evacuated due to the initial alarm on site. There was no damage to the store itself and the store was able to soon resume normal operations. The specific cause of the fire is not known at this time.
Fire sprinkler systems can keep fires from spreading and can also extinguish them. Fire spreads quickly and can double in size every minute. Even small fires can cause significant damage to property and endanger those nearby. Contrary to many Hollywood portrayals, only sprinkler heads directly exposed to the heat activate, not those in the rest of the room, building, or complex.
This is at least the 5th fire sprinkler save in the last year, here in Yuma. Sprinkler systems save lives and protect property.