Press Release  Home Fire Sprinklers Stop House Fire in Granby

GRANBY — A home fire sprinkler system contained and extinguished a battery fire in a Granby home last night, said Granby Deputy Fire Chief Tyler Yvon and State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine.

“As a rule of thumb, a residential fire can double in size every 30 seconds and become deadly in a matter of minutes,” said Deputy Chief Yvon. “The growth and spread of this fire were stopped by the home’s fire sprinkler system, which not only minimized property damage but may have prevented injury or worse. They were especially valuable because this home was in an area without hydrants, and we would have been working with limited water supply in our initial attack on the fire.”

The Granby Fire Department responded to a Chicopee Street home for a report of a structure fire at about 8:45 last night. When they arrived, they found the fire extinguished and the damage contained to the flooring and nearby items. Granby firefighters and State Police fire investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office determined that it started with a lithium polymer battery left unattended in a charger.

Lithium-ion and lithium polymer batteries have caused and contributed to a growing number of fires in Massachusetts and around the world in recent years as the devices they power have become more common. Deputy Chief Yvon and State Fire Marshal Davine urged residents to use only the battery, cord, and charging equipment provided by the manufacturer and always disconnect the device when charging is complete.

“The home’s sprinkler system functioned just as it was designed to, and it protected the residents from what could have been a multiple-alarm fire,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “Sprinklers are the fastest way to get water on a fire before it gets out of control.”

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