The fire started in the large industrial heating unit in the equipment room but a fire sprinkler directly above the unit helped it from spreading, said a fire official.
A fire sprinkler system helped prevent the spread of a fire that began in an equipment room at theRolling Hills Club in Novato this morning, according to Battalion Chief Gerald McCarthy of the Novato Fire department in a news release.
Shortly before 9 a.m., the Novato Fire District responded to a structure fire at the Rolling Hills Club in the 300 block of San Andreas Drive.
En route to the fire, firefighters were updated that dark smoke was coming out from an equipment room by a community swimming pool. The equipment room is a detached outbuilding that has a fire sprinkler system.
On site, a club staff person saw dark smoke coming from the equipment room and quickly used a fire extinguisher to help put out the fire in the wood ceiling above the heating unit.
“A facility person was in the area and used a fire extinguisher to help put out the fire along with the sprinker,” McCarthy said.
Novato Fire personnel arrived on scene to find the main building evacuated. Firefighters found that the fire started in the large industrial heating unit in the equipment room. The fire charred the exposed rafters above the heating unit. One fire sprinkler located directly above the heating unit activated and controlled the fire, preventing further spread of heat and flames.
Rolling Hills Club General Manager Jim Gerber said the damage was minimal. "We were really lucky and the sprinklers did their job," Gerber said.
Firefighters secured the main water supply and shut down natural gas to the structure. They also replaced the fire sprinkler head and turned the pool heater off.
Battalion Chief Gerald McCarthy said, “This is a great reminder about the importance of fire sprinklers because it enabled the business to remain open and unaffected with little damage.”
Since 1985, the Novato Fire District has required fire sprinklers in all new construction and when substantial remodels are performed to existing residential and commercial buildings.
On January 1, 2011, the State of California adopted legislation requiring residential fire sprinklers in all new residential construction.
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