Firefighters arrived Monday evening to find fire in restroom was already out
By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news
Ashland Fire & Rescue responded to a call at the Donald E. Lewis Retirement Center on Monday evening to find the building’s sprinkler systems had already extinguished the fire.
The fire in a restroom at the facility on YMCA Way had burned in a small trash can but by the time residents evacuated the building and firefighters arrived, the automatic sprinkler system had put out the fire.
Residents were able to reenter the building that night and the structure of the building was unharmed, aside from localized smoke and water damage. The incident is an opportunity to appreciate the value of automatic fire sprinklers, said Ashland Fire Marshal Mark Shay in a release from the city.
“There was minor water damage that was cleaned up by firefighters, but that would also have happened if firefighters had put the fire out with hoses,” Shay said in the release. “We say that having sprinklers is like having a firefighter in your house 24/7 and this proves that point.”
The retirement center offers affordable housing for seniors and those with mobility needs, according to its website.
Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at morganr@ashland.news.
