Automatic sprinkler prevents spread of fire in Normal apartment

Posted on February 7, 2018
Firefighters from Normal credit an automatic sprinker with preventing the fire’s spread at The Lodge on Willow. (Photo Maria Henneberry/WJBC)

By Greg Halbleib

NORMAL – The Normal Fire Department reports an automatic sprinkler kept a fire from spreading in a student apartment on Willow Street Wednesday afternoon.

The department received the call after 1 p.m. for the fire in a third floor bedroom at The Lodge on Willow. Firefighters discovered that the sprinkler in the bedroom was putting water on the fire. Firefighters ventilated the room and made sure the fire was out.

“This is a perfect example of a fire sprinkler system getting water on an early stage fire fast and knocking the fire down before it got out of control,” Normal Fire Chief Mick Humer said in a release.

Moderate smoke and heat damage was reported to the bedroom with water damage to the room’s contents. Damage was confined to the bedroom.

The occupant was not home. No injuries were reported.

No damage estimate is yet available as investigators try to determine the cause.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].

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