Sprinklers put out 4th Avenue hotel fire

A hotel sprinkler system knocked down a fire that was started by an appliance which had not been turned off after the occupant had left the room, according to Yuma fire officials.

"Between Thanksgiving and Christmas we see a lot of cooking-related fires," said Yuma Fire Department spokesman Mike Erfert. "This can be considered a cooking-related fire."

Erfert said on Sunday at about 8:45 p.m., firefighters responded to a reported fire at the Clarion Suites hotel, located at 2600 S. 4th Ave.

Upon their arrival, firefighters found smoke coming from room 148, he said. A fire was found to have activated a sprinkler head inside the room, which knocked down the flames and controlled the fire.

Firefighters finished extinguishing hot spots and confirmed the fire had not extended into other areas. The damage was limited to the area of the room where the fire had originated.

"Although we think of sprinkler systems in commercial buildings, they are also available for residential use and gaining in popularity," Erfert said.

Erfert said the cause of the fire was determined to be a device being used by the room’s occupant. The device, referred to as an “electric spoon,” is used to heat individual cups of liquid.

After the occupant used it, Erfert said it had not been turned off when the occupant left the room. The device eventually overheated, causing the surrounding counter and wallboard to catch on fire.

Clarion Suites personnel replaced the activated sprinkler head and the building’s sprinkler system was returned to service. As recently as last month, an apartment fire was extinguished in the same manner by a sprinkler system at the Villa Nueva Apartments, 750 S. 15th Ave.

Erfert said fire sprinkler systems can keep fires from spreading and can also extinguish them.

Fire spreads quickly and can double in size every minute, he said. Even small fires can cause significant damage to personal property and endanger those nearby.

Contrary to many Hollywood portrayals, only sprinkler heads directly exposed to the heat (155 degrees for a residential sprinkler) activate, not those in the rest of the room, building or complex.

James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.