In the last thirty days, sprinkler systems have successfully extinguished three separate apartment fires in Las Cruces.
In two of the fires, residents were in the apartment and unaware a fire had started. At each incident, a single sprinkler head completely put out fires that started from unattended cooking. Sprinklers operate automatically in the area where a fire starts, preventing it from growing undetected to a dangerous size, while simultaneously sounding an alarm.
This early intervention kept property losses low and resulted in no injuries to the residents of the apartment buildings or the firefighters that responded to the incidents.
Since 2004, all new apartments constructed in Las Cruces are mandated by fire and building code to have sprinkler systems installed. These recent successes prove the enormous value a protective system can have on life safety and fire extinguishment.
For additional information about fire sprinklers visit the National Fire Sprinkler Association website at www.nfsa.org.
Information from Las Cruces Fire Department