Sprinkler Helps Control Flames In Palatine Apartment Fire

PALATINE, IL — The Palatine Fire Department was called to a fire at 11:19 a.m. Thursday at 1205 N. Sterling Avenue, where firefighters were told by maintenance there was a fire in unit 110. According to a news release from the fire department, Palatine fire crews got to the building's first floor and found smoke and water in the hallway. Once inside the apartment, fire crews saw that an automatic fire sprinkler system had gone off, and one activated sprinkler head put out the fire, limiting damage to the rest of the apartment, the news release stated.

According to the fire department, the fire was under control at 11:30 a.m.

No one was injured in the fire which the department said was contained to the apartment's closet. Damage estimates weren't available as of Thursday afternoon, according to the news release.

The fire department added that 17 firefighters staffing three engines, one ladder truck, two ambulances, one rescue squad and three officers all helped on site. Palatine Police Department officers helped residents on site and controlled traffic.

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"Automatic fire sprinklers are highly effective and reliable elements of a total fire protection system," the department said in the news release, and added that when fire sprinklers are present, fires are kept to the room of origin 97 percent of the time (U.S. Experience with Sprinklers, NFPA report, 2017), including this apartment fire.

The Palatine Fire Department reminds everyone that working smoke alarms save lives and asks everyone to make sure your smoke alarms are tested monthly and are less than 10 years old.

For more information on fire safety visit palatine.il.us or NFPA.org.