Sprinkler system saves residents from fire in Bloomington apartment

December 26, 2013 Updated Dec 26, 2013 at 6:47 PM CST

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- A potentially fatal fire in an apartment complex on Christmas Eve was stopped before any major damage was done.

"It could have been worse with my son and me in there," said Bloomington resident, Linda Mabry. "I am just thanking god that it wasn't and that I have my life."

Dozens of residents in the Bloomington Downtowner assisted living apartments had the same reaction after the fire sprinkler system went off on Christmas Eve night.

Authorities said a fire started in a third floor apartment after a cigarette fell into a chair

Firefighters said a small fire like this could engulf an entire room in just two minutes, but the apartment's fire sprinkler system extinguished it before they even reached the scene.

"The biggest thing you have to worry about when we have fires like this is the spread of smoke which is very black, thick, and toxic smoke that has poisonous gas in it," said Bloomington Fire Captain and Public Information Officer, Brad McCollum. "When our crews arrived on scene with just light smoke, it was attributed to that sprinkler system."

Fire sprinkler systems are required for newly built apartments in Bloomington, and for home owners, fire officials highly recommend them.

McCollum says seven out of ten people die from the toxic smoke in a house fire.

He added that if the apartment was not equipped with the system, there could have been several deaths.

View original post here:
Sprinkler system saves residents from fire in Bloomington apartment