Saturday, November 19, 2011

Four Alarm Fire Near U.C. Berkeley

A four-alarm fire at a mixed-use building near the University of California at Berkeley took 6 hours to be contained early Saturday morning. No firefighters or other injuries were  reported as fire crews continued to tackle the fire the had spread and become a major fire.
The fire at the five-story building with 39 units on the corner of Telegraph Avenue and Haste Street was first reported at 8:48 p.m. on Friday November18. As of 12:15 a.m. in the morning the fire had spread throughout the entire building and had not been contained according to reports by the Berkeley Fire Department.
A fire unit was at the scene by 9:00 p.m. and the fire progressed to a third-alarm fire by 9:15 p.m. Several local agencies had responded to the fire, including firefighters from Alameda County and Oakland.
The building has commercial space on the first floor and 39 residential units on the other floors. Businesses contained in the building include the long-time Telegraph fixture Cafe Intermezzo and Raleigh's Bar and Grill. Residents were evacuated, many residents found housing quickly, and the Red Cross was on hand to assist those who needed help in finding housing.

No reports if the building had any early warning fire alarm systems and or fire suppression systems
 




Sunday, November 6, 2011

16 Dogs died in Kennel Fire

A fire killed 16 dogs, including puppies, Wednesday in a suburban breeder's backyard kennel, which an inspector later said was illegal.
Police said eight of the dogs were puppies under 5 months old.
Elmsford Fire Chief Richard Hoke said the dogs died in their cages and probably were killed by breathing smoke rather than by burns. He said no dogs survived the morning blaze in Greenburgh, about 25 miles north of Manhattan.
The fire destroyed the 20-by-20-foot shed behind a home.
Greenburgh police Lt. Brian Joseph Ryan who identified the owner, whom he said raises large Italian mastiffs of a breed known as the Cane Corso. It was not immediately known if all the dead dogs were that breed, but Hoke said they all seemed to be the same breed.
Greenburgh Building Inspector John Lucido said the kennel violated town codes because only three grown dogs are permitted per household and because a kennel business is illegal in the neighborhood.
He said the owner was warned about a similar violation in 2006, "but he brought the number of dogs down to be in compliance."
He added that his department had received no complaints since 2006.

Cane Corso puppies often sell for more than $1,000. masterk9rus.com, did not list prices but invited PayPal deposits on several dogs with names including Sparks, Hanibal and Movado.
"We aim to improve the Cane Corso breed," the website says. "Our dogs are family raised and bred for temperament, health, show and working capability."
Ryan said eight of the dead dogs were 5 months to 7 years old, the rest younger.
He said a preliminary report from detectives and fire marshals suggested the cause of the fire may have been a heat lamp or space heater, but the investigation continued.
Officials said they did not know if heaters were being used because of an electricity outage. A weekend snowstorm cut off power to many customers in the area.
No charges had been filed, Ryan said.
Ernest Lungaro, director of humane law enforcement for the Westchester County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said the SPCA took two of the dogs for necropsies to determine the cause of death. He said the owner was cooperating with the agency's investigation into whether cruelty laws had been broken.
Ryan said the fire was reported to Greenburgh police just before 7 a.m. The Elmsford Fire Department was then called, although the fire was just outside Elmsford, in an unincorporated area of Greenburgh.

California Home Care Facility Fire

A fire at a California home care facility for the disabled has killed four adults and left two others hospitalized, authorities said Sunday.
The fire was reported at around 11:45 p.m. Saturday in Marina, a small coastal community in Monterey County, about 100 miles south of San Francisco.
Three Marina police officers suffered smoke inhalation when they tried to rescue people inside the burning single family home, police watch commander Robin Nowak said. The officers have been treated and released.
The four people who were killed were residents of the home, Nowak said. Nowak didn't know who operated the home.
The cause of the fire was under investigation, but investigators with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on the scene Sunday. ATF officials didn't immediately return a call to The Associated Press seeking information on the investigation.
The fire was reported by a driver on nearby Highway 1 who saw the flames, Bay Area KION-TV reported.


Published: Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011 - 12:29 pm
Last Modified: Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011 - 2:06 pm

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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

The Scandinavian Star, The Nordic Empress and Fire Protection

The Scandinavian Star was a passenger ship and ferry with a route between Oslo and Denmark in the 1990's. During one of its routine voyages, a fire broke out on one of the decks. 158 people were killed in the blaze.

The Scandinavian Star was built according to fire safety regulations of the time. Unfortunately, these regulations did not require a fire sprinkler system throughout the ship. There was limited fire sprinkler systems installed in certain areas of the ship, including the car garage, the fire sprinkler system did not cover the entire ship. Firefighters later found that the fire sprinkler system had not been properly maintained, and that the sprinkler heads were plugged with rust.

The fire was started deliberately in a hallway. Passengers died taking shelter in cabins and attempting to escape through the halls to safer areas of the ship. The problem, of course, is that there are no safe areas on a ship when a fire breaks out. Passengers have nowhere to go in case of a fire.

That's why effective fire prevention is so important on seagoing vessels. Investigative officials, in charge with discovering the causes of the fire, strongly recommended that all seagoing vessels be fitted with a fire sprinkler system in the future. 

Today, high velocity water sprays combined with low water discharge rates are changing the way shipboard fires are fought.   

The eruption of a fuel fire in the engine room of the cruise ship Nordic Empress was controlled and extinguished expeditiously because of the swift activation of a water mist system designed to protect shipboard machinery spaces. This is the most recent success of high velocity water sprays combined with low water discharge rates.

Known as water mist systems, the technology is being installed on an increasing number of commercial vessels, especially cruise ships, replacing alternatives such as Halon-1301. The Navy is also using a water mist system on its new Amphibious Transport Dock ship, the LPD-17, it was delivered from the Litton Avondale Industries Shipyard in New Orleans in 2003.
 
Water has been the traditional fire-fighting agent for centuries, but too much water combined with inappropriate fire fighting techniques has had disastrous results.

Traditional water fire-extinguishing systems are based on water applied to a fire from straight hose streams or sprinkler systems. Typically, wet pipe sprinkler systems are activated when heat from a fire melts a fusible link in a sprinkler head allowing water to flow and spray into the area. Other systems, known as dry pipe, have open sprinkler heads and an electrically controlled main supply line valve controlling water flow to all sprinkler heads in the system. Both systems are designed to allow for a maximum volume of water to be discharged onto a fire area, effectively drowning the fire. The disadvantages of traditional water systems are that they can cause substantial damage to areas not directly affected by the flames and, for ships, jeopardize their buoyancy.

to be continued. 






Fire safety or the environment – is it necessary to choose?

Awareness of the fact that large fires may present dramatic and persistent adverse effects on the environment has risen since the occurrence of numerous high impact incidents over the past 25 years. Traditionally, discussion of the environmental impact of fires has focused on the emissions that fires can cause both to the air, water and soil; but in recent years a new debate has arisen where the impact of chemicals on the environment and the precautionary principle have taken precedence.

 Read more....





Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Non-Sprinklered Residential Apartment Unit Fire

Firefighters agree that residential fire sprinklers could have saved a pregnant woman who died in a Nebraska fire in late 2006. The woman, whose due date fell on the same day she died, passed out from smoke inhalation soon after a faulty electrical cord set her mattress on fire. Her two-year-old daughter was trapped within the apartment unit, and suffered critical injuries.

The smell of smoke woke a neighboring couple late that night. They checked their own apartment unit thoroughly, and found no fire. Then they went into the hallway and followed the smell to the woman's apartment. They managed to get the door open. Smoke and flames poured into the hallway, and the couple could hear the two-year-old crying inside. While the woman rushed to call 911, the man tried to enter the apartment and save the little girl. But the smoke was too thick--even with a damp cloth over his mouth and nose, he couldn't see well enough to find her.

Residential fire sprinklers handle fires like this every day. If residential fire sprinklers had been installed in this building, a sprinkler head would have activated the moment the fire started, extinguishing it before it could do serious harm. In cases where bedding catches fire, and even when people's clothing ignites, residential fire sprinklers have been able to suppress the fire quickly enough to save victims' lives.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Lessons Learned From Unsatisfactory Sprinkler Performance: An update on trends and a root cause discussion from the investigating engineer's perspective


This article is from the FPE Magazine archives.

Automatic sprinkler systems are often considered the most significant component of a building fire protection strategy. When properly designed, installed and maintained, an automatic sprinkler system can control a fire and significantly reduce deaths, injuries and property damage. However, sprinkler systems have their limitations, and their performance can be affected by factors not linked to the initial design or installation of the sprinkler system. This article explores automatic sprinkler system failure data to identify and discuss causes of unsatisfactory sprinkler performance.

Historical fire losses provide experiences that shape current fire protection design methodologies, design criteria and defense strategies. Significant lessons learned have been extracted from post-fire investigations of major losses of life and/or property despite protection by an automatic sprinkler system. These post-fire loss investigations revealed not only the cause of the fires, but causes associated with unsatisfactory sprinkler system performance. Unsatisfactory performance includes failure to operate, as well as ineffectiveness to control a fire and limit damages to life and property.

read more.......

Friday, August 5, 2011

Residential Fire Sprinklers Saved the Lives of a Father and Daughter

A kitchen fire that started late one February evening could have claimed the lives of a father and daughter--if not for residential fire sprinklers.

The fire started when a burner left unattended ignited in the kitchen that evening. Firefighters discovered smoke, but no fire--the residential fire sprinklers had extinguished it before it could spread to other areas of the house.

Over 70% of fire fatalities happen in the home. Of those, around half start in the kitchen. Leaving a pan of food unattended, even for a minute, is enough to start a serious fire. Burners take a while to cool, even when turned off. It's not safe to leave a pan or anything else flammable near a burner, even when it's not turned on. Fires also start in microwaves when food is left inside too long, or when people use non-microwave-safe utensils and containers.

While many kitchen fires are a result of carelessness or inattention, they can happen even when owners take all reasonable precautions. Modern kitchens contain lots of electrical appliances, any of which could have faulty wiring that causes a spark. Gas leaks are another hazard.

There has never been a fire fatality reported in a home with residential sprinkler systems installed. With a sprinkler head in the kitchen, residents can feel safe--even in the most fire-prone area of the home.


Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Fire Sprinkler System Saves A School




Fire Dept response
Firefighters received a call early one July morning that a local middle school was on fire. This probably wasn't a big surprise--school fires are common occurrences, both during and after school. This particular school was on holiday, leaving it open to arson. 

Rushing to the scene, however, the fire department found that the fire was contained in a single classroom--and the building's fire sprinkler systems had kept it in check. It took just minutes for firefighters to extinguish the blaze completely.

The cause of this fire was not conclusively determined to be arson-related. However, that's a likely scenario. In 1996, firefighters responded to over 2,000 school fires--70% of which were caused by arson. Schools are obvious targets for delinquent youth. Insurance companies claim that 40% of the time, the culprits are boys aged 10-17 years old. While many arson fires are started outside of normal school hours, an alarming trend indicates that more arsonists are starting fires while school is in session. Common places for fires include bathrooms, closets, and locker rooms--anywhere a child can be undisturbed for a few minutes.

School fires are tragic, not only for the children involved, but also for the staff and the community. Children lose their sense of safety and security at school. Staff lose a school they may have invested decades in developing--a loss that can be devastating to any teacher or administrator. The community and school district can be hit hard by the financial burden of rebuilding a school. In addition, loss of supplies, test results, important records, computers and furniture can affect children's school careers long after the fire. It can take a community and school district years or even decades to recover from a fire started by a single malicious act.

Many school districts can't afford to have guards posted outside while the school's closed--and arsonists can find ways to get inside a locked and unattended school. In addition, no matter how attentive the staff, it's nearly impossible to watch every child, every minute.

That's why fire sprinkler systems are the ideal solution. They're nearly impossible to set off accidentally or maliciously without starting a real fire--so the risk of water damage from practical jokes or accidental firings are minimal. In addition, fire sprinkler systems control a fire the minute it starts, giving it no time to spread to other areas of the school. Their record of fire safety tells the story: a school with fire sprinkler systems installed has never been lost due to fire, from arson or any other causes.
Sprinkler discharge

More and more states are requiring all schools to be built with fire sprinkler systems and it should go farther than that, it should be mandated that all existing school buildings should be retro-fitted with fire sprinkler systems. Our Washington law makers should enact a federal law that would be funded by the federal government to install fire sprinkler systems in all existing school buildings. 


To cut costs it should also be mandated that the prevailing wages for the construction sector should be extricated and allow any contractor to bid on the project without the detriment of requiring to pay the prevailing wages to the workers. 

Fire Dept Connection
I'm not against the prevailing wage and unions, but in this day and time because of the economic down turn, saving costs and lives is more important than a persons hourly wage. We should all help out to get the schools protected from the loss of life and property.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Lawmakers to Consider Mandatory Fire Sprinkler Systems in Animal Housing Facilities

A three-alarm fire engulfed a Connecticut pet shop early in 2006. Although the building did not have sprinklers, most of the pets were saved before flames consumed the shop. The fire prompted lawmakers to propose legislating fire sprinkler systems in buildings and facilities that house animals. 
Dog Kennel Fire


Animals are common fire fatalities. No matter how beloved, house pets are usually the last rescued in residential fires. Barns and zoos are also prone to fire. Barns often contain large amounts of hay, flammable fuels, and other fire-prone materials--including sheep, horses, cows, and other livestock. When a fire starts, these big animals are panicked and dangerous to rescue. As a result, they often stay confined during a fire, and usually burn to death in their stalls.

Zoo and aquarium fires are also more common than most people realize--the Ocean City Aquarium, the Philadelphia Zoo, the Cincinnati Zoo, and many other famous zoos and aquariums have lost animals to fire. In facilities that are supposed to protect and care for these animals, many patrons consider failure to install fire sprinkler systems negligent. 
KARLSRUHE ZOO IN SOUTHERN GERMANY






The bill to mandate fire sprinkler systems in animal housing facilities was not successful. However, it's possible the subject could come up again. Like handicapped patients in rest homes, animals are often helpless in the face of fire. Fire sprinkler systems protect those who can't protect themselves.







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Credits offered for sprinkler installation course

The National Association of Home Builders  now offers creditsfor a no-cost sprinkler installation course highlighting provisions in NFPA 13D: Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes. The course, developed by the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, provides an overview of sprinkler operations, installation and life safety benefits.


 

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Home Fire Sprinkler Incentives Become Law in Washington State

According to Maria Figueroa, Regional Manager, Fire Prevention Field Office, announced her in NFPA blog post that Home fire sprinkler incentives become law in Washington state.


The State of Washington Governor Chris Gregoire has signed into law legislation providing financial incentives and removing certain barriers impacting the installation of fire sprinkler systems in homes.
 
HB1295 was passed in the House. Its companion, SB5206 , moved quickly through the Senate and was submitted to the governor for The law, which takes effect on July 11, 2011, “exempts homeowners who install fire sprinkler systems from paying the fire operations portion of the impact fee and establishes a fund to be used, in part, for “developing and publishing educational materials related to the effectiveness of residential fire sprinklers.” 

As found on the governor’s website; “…Chris Gregoire has delivered real results to the people of Washington. Combining effective leadership with a tireless work ethic, she has shown time and again that she has the courage and independence to stand up and fight for individuals and families.” With this action, the governor recognizes the community benefits of home fire sprinkler systems. By removing certain barriers this law facilitates the adoption of home fire sprinkler requirements by communities in the state.

Removing barriers to home fire sprinkler adoptions has become a primary target of the Washington Fire Sprinkler Coalition ,while they continue to pursue the goal of obtaining statewide adoption of the home fire sprinkler requirement. According to Greg Rogers, its chair; “the coalition continues to be doing some very exciting things”


This is a big break for the fire sprinkler industry and it makes home fire sprinklers more affordable with reduced impact fees. Do you need talking points about residential fire sprinklers? Eighty percent of all fire deaths occur in the home. The single most effective way to prevent fire-related deaths is the installation of residential fire sprinklers. Combined with smoke alarms, they cut the risk of dying in a home fire by 82% compared to having neither. Don't miss an opportunity to mention and talk about sprinklers in the home (or not in the home) during fire incidents in your community. 

Check out this link for an excellent resource: NFPA.org Sprinkler Safety Talking Points

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

How Residential Fire Sprinklers Protect Us and Why more people die of smoke inhalation

Most people who die in a fire are dead before the fire reaches them. Smoke inhalation often kills by searing the lungs, but not always. Often, smoke causes severe pulmonary irritation--if a fire burns through insulation or other toxic substances, those toxins get into the smoke, and into the victim's lungs.

Fire officials estimate that 50%-80% of fire-related deaths are ultimately caused by smoke inhalation. Residential fire sprinklers protect against smoke inhalation in several ways.

First, residential fire sprinklers typically extinguish a fire before it gets big enough to be dangerous. Residential fire sprinklers go into action the minute a fire starts, dumping water on the core of the fire and dropping its core temperature to the point where it can no longer burn.

Residential fire sprinklers are usually more effective than a brigade of firefighters, because they work so quickly--by the time firefighters arrive at a burning home, it's often too late. However, residential fire sprinklers also protect against smoke inhalation in other ways. As they fall, water droplets attach to particles in the smoke, weighing them down and thinning out the smoke. Smoke from a fire in a sprinkler-protected building is thinner and less lethal--although you should still exit the house immediately if your residential fire sprinkler system is activated.

Residential fire sprinkler systems are far more effective than any other method of home fire protection. Your chances of survival go up dramatically in homes with residential fire sprinkler systems installed.

Smoke detectors are still the best method for an early warning system and they should be tested at least once a year.

Expand your fire safety education at no cost. please watch this video.


 

Monday, June 13, 2011

The Top Four Reasons Fires Start in Commercial Buildings

Even though every business is different, fires tend to start for the same reasons. As an owner, it's important to be aware of the reasons fires start--and do your best to prevent them.

Smoking. Even with a smoke-free building, you can't watch what your employees do all the time--and it only takes one cigarette to start a fire. Many historic hotel fires were started by guests who fell asleep while smoking.

Improper storage. Many fires are started when flammable materials are stored too close to heat. In a Paris shopping centre, a fire started when clothes were left too close to a spotlight--luckily, the owners had installed commercial fire sprinklers, and the building was barely damaged.

Faulty wires. Worn electrical cords and faulty wiring are also a major cause of commercial fires. A recent, fatal fire in a care home was determined to have been caused by faulty electrical wiring.

Improper maintenance of heat sources. Fires are often caused by mistakes when workers handle hot machinery. A forge, furnace, stove, or oven can easily cause a fire if not used properly. Such heat sources often require careful maintenance--kitchen fires in restaurants are common, for example, because employees sometimes forget to clean grease traps.

Your business may have fire risks that aren't covered here. Commercial fire sprinklers can protect all types of businesses from fire--and are a worthwhile investment in your building's safety.

Fire Protection Consultation

Saturday, June 11, 2011

How does a fire sprinkler system work?

A typical fire sprinkler system contains two main components: the sprinkler heads and the piping. The heads are usually installed on ceilings, and they connect to a network of pipes. The pipes either connect to a water main or storage tank via a valve, or are kept filled with water.

The sprinkler heads are either fitted with a glass bulb containing heat-sensitive liquids or gases, or with a fusible link sealed with a material that melts at a certain temperature. The moment a fire starts, it sends a burst of heat toward the ceiling. The heat either expands the contents of the bulb, breaking the glass, or melts the seals on the fusible links. This forces water through the sprinkler heads, dousing the fire.

A fire sprinkler system releases droplets big enough to penetrate the centre of the fire without evaporating--the amount of flow-through, water pressure, and size of the droplets are strictly controlled. This lowers the temperature at the fire's core--enough that it can't maintain the heat it needs, and goes out.
A fire sprinkler system is more effective than a brigade of firefighters--at least initially. That's because while it can take the fire department valuable minutes--sometimes even longer--to respond to an alarm, a fire sprinkler system can respond in seconds, putting the fire out before it has a chance to spread.

For more information about fire sprinkler systems visit NFPA.org .

What makes fire sprinklers so effective

A fire starts when intense heat is concentrated in an area with plenty of oxygen and fuel. To survive, fires need to eat, breathe, and stay hot. A spark from an overloaded power strip, an unattended candle, or flammable materials left too close to a radiator are all common sources of fire in the home.

Fires can't live without fuel, air, and heat. To put out a fire, you need to remove one of those three things. Here's how it works:
  • The fuel. If it runs out of fuel, a fire will extinguish on its own. Firefighters sometimes clear a ring around brush fires to keep them controlled.
  • The air. Fires can also be contained if they're smothered quickly enough. That's why you can put out a small fire by dropping a blanket over it and stamping it out.
  • The heat. Fire can't burn if it gets too cold. Water puts out fire by dropping its core temperature below a certain amount. 
Fire sprinklers work by removing a fire's heat. Fire sprinklers drop water at the core of the fire, extinguishing it before it can burn out of control. And because they work so quickly, the fire is usually controlled before it can do significant damage.
That's why fire sprinklers are the most effective method of fire prevention you can buy.

Friday, June 10, 2011

The next few posts

I'll be republishing some of my older posts that I originally had on a personal blog page at chabre.net. Stay tuned. Thank you.

The Home Fire Alarm System

Article from the U.S. Fire Administration

A home fire alarm system is usually part of a total security system providing burglary protection in addition to fire protection. Such a system supervises doors, windows, and spaces within the home for break-in and may provide monitoring services by dialing your telephone to report a fire or intrusion to a security office, where it will be reported to your local police or fire department.
Due to their relatively high cost, these systems are generally found only in larger homes. The system can cost $1000 or more to install, with 24-hour monitoring service adding $15 to $20 per month.
Components of the System

Fire Alarm Components
These systems consist of a central control panel to which smoke alarms and heat detectors are connected, along with bells or horns that are activated when the system triggers an alarm. Other sensors associated with the burglary functions connect to doors and windows or monitor rooms for motion or body heat. The control panel operates from house power but also usually contains an emergency battery which can operate the system for about 24 hours during a power outage.
The basic requirements for the number and locations of alarms are exactly the same as with the self-contained alarms discussed previously. The difference is that a fire alarm system gives you more flexibility to locate additional alarms and additional bells or horns (or flashing lights, should a person in the household be hearing impaired).
Fire alarm systems that provide remote monitoring services can also be used to provide medical alert services. Here a person with health problems who lives alone carries a radio transmitter that can trigger the system in case they need assistance. Signals received at the monitoring station are identified by type (fire, burglary, medical alert) so that the proper response can be made.

Why Have a Residential Fire Alarm System?

The primary advantage of a home fire alarm system is increased reliability and the ability to place alarms and bells exactly where needed. However, the reason most people have them is that they wanted a burglar alarm system and the cost of adding fire alarm features to a residential burglary system is relatively small.
Garage smoke alarms are also important
Another advantage is that they are the only way to obtain remote monitoring services. This becomes important in cases where family members may not be capable of escaping from a fire without assistance. For example, if you have an older or physically impaired person in your home and a fire started when no one was home to assist that person, alarms alone might not be enough to assure their safety.
A feature of most monitoring services is the ability to keep special information on the residence which comes up on the computer screen whenever an alarm is received from that home. Thus, if there is a disabled person in the home who needs special assistance this fact will be known to the operator and can be passed along to the fire department when they are called.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has complete details and publishing's on home fire prevention and protection.
 
 

Las Vegas woman's home saved by fire sprinklers

  • Name: Anne Mazzola
  • Date of fire: September 17, 2010
  • Location: Las Vegas, NV
  • Injuries: None






Anne Mazzola of Las Vegas survived a fire thanks to her home's sprinkler system.
Anne Mazzola was working in her Las Vegas home while her new floor received its last coat of sealant. The combustible product ignited an intense fire that was extinguished nearly as quickly as it started, thanks to her home's fire sprinkler system.

A Comparison between Commercial and Residential Fire Sprinklers

Residential fire sprinklers protect single-occupancy homes. While homes are among the most likely to catch fire, they don't need a highly modified system. Most homes use the same residential fire sprinklers.
Because they are heated in the winter time, homes use a wet-pipe instead of a dry-pipe system. Wet-pipe fire sprinklers are less expensive and easier to maintain. However, if sprinklers are to be located in the attic area (unheated area) a dry system (air supervised) or an anti-freeze solution with water would need to be installed.Homeowners tend to be more concerned about unsightly sprinkler heads than businesses are. Residential fire sprinklers come with heads that can be recessed and almost completely concealed from view.

Commercial fire sprinklers protect commercial properties. Because commercial buildings vary so widely, the type of commercial fire sprinkler system varies as well.
Hotels, warehouses, offices, manufacturing plants, nightclubs, and other businesses all have different levels of risk and unique factors--whether combustible materials are used or stored in the building, or whether water damage would seriously hinder the business, for example. As a result, commercial fire sprinklers must be specially designed for each business.
Fire Sprinkler Dry-Pipe Valves
In addition, commercial fire sprinklers are more likely to be dry-pipe or even chemical. This is because of the risk of freezing in unheated buildings during the winter, and also because some businesses are particularly concerned about water damage.
Whether residential or commercial, fire sprinklers are the best method of fire protection you can buy for your building. Studies show both residences and commercial properties with fire sprinklers installed suffer only about 10% of the fire damage as that of nonsprinklered buildings.