Sprinkler stops Stanton Tower fire

The automatic sprinkler system kept an early morning fire at Stanton Tower from becoming worse, but it did leave behind water damage.

Fremont Fire Department crews were called to the eighth floor of Stanton Tower at 3:56 a.m. today. They found the apartments resident laying in about 4 inches of water in the doorway, Capt. Pat Tawney said.

The sprinkler system is priceless, Tawney said.

Tawney said it appears the resident had left a placed a piece of wood on top of the stove and then a microwave on top of that. So far, its undetermined how the fire started.

Smoke was contained to the eighth floor of the high-rise apartment building, but Tawney said there was water damage on the eighth, seventh and sixth floors. An additional shift was called in to help with the cleanup.

The resident was transported to Fremont Health Medical Center.

Several residents did evacuate their apartments this morning. Tawney said those whose apartments sustained water damage were working with the Fremont Housing Authority, which operates the complex, on what steps to take next.

Typically, Tawney said, the department recommends residents at either Gifford Tower or Stanton Tower remain in their apartments and place a towel at the bottom of the door when there is a fire in another unit until firefighters ask them to evacuate. Sprinklers and the concrete construction of the buildings help keep fires from spreading.

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Sprinkler stops Stanton Tower fire