Fire Sprinkler and Smoke Alarm Saves Infant's Life; Fallston Home From Significant Damage
HARFORD COUNTY, MD (July 16, 2022) - Deputy State Fire Marshals are crediting a smoke alarm and a home fire sprinkler system for saving an infant's life and reducing significant property damage at a Fallston home this morning.
Fallston Volunteer Fire Company and mutual-aid departments were dispatched at 10:15 a.m. for a reported dwelling in the 2000 block of Arden Drive after the owner, who was outside at the time, heard a smoke alarm sounding. Upon arrival, the fire department discovered a fire in the kitchen with one activated fire sprinkler.
Fire investigators concluded the fire started in the kitchen, and the cause was accidental due to an unattended candle. The investigation determined that the activation of only one automatic fire sprinkler prevented the fire from spreading from the kitchen into the remainder of the home. Damage was limited to an estimated $20,000, and no injuries were reported.
State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci stated, "Residential fire sprinklers are proven to save lives, prevent injuries and protect property and valuables. The best home fire safety practice is combining a smoke alarm, an escape plan, and a residential fire sprinkler. Today we saw the effects of this winning combination;".
Maryland requires a residential fire sprinkler in all new one- or two-family homes across the state. Maryland law also prohibits local governments from weakening the sprinkler requirement in their jurisdiction's building codes.
Facts about home fire sprinklers
Automatic sprinklers are highly effective and reliable elements of total system designs for fire protection in buildings. According to NFPA's "U.S. Experience with Sprinklers" report:
-
The civilian death rate was 81 percent lower in homes with fire sprinklers than in homes without them.
-
The average firefighter injury rate was nearly 80 percent lower when fire sprinklers were present during fires.
-
When sprinklers were present, fires were kept to the room of origin 97 percent of the time.
-30-
 Photo Credit - Office of the State Fire Marshal
 One fire sprinkler was able to extinguish this kitchen fire in Fallston
The
Office of the State Fire Marshal is an agency of the Department of
State Police dedicated to helping protect citizens from fire and
explosion through a comprehensive program of education,
inspection, investigation and fire protection engineering. For more
information on fire safety call 1-800-525-3124, log onto our website at: Maryland State Fire Marshal and/or our Facebook Page.
|
