Berkeley Mall fire
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on March 2, 2010 11:39 AM
A small exhaust fan fire at Berkeley Mall on Tuesday morning flooded a back entranceway after triggering the sprinkler system. No one was injured in the incident and damage was minimal, fire officials said.
Assistant Chief Eric Lancaster said an exhaust fan in a storage room near the Tips N Toes nail probably had shorted out, causing a small fire that melted plastic in the fan's construction.
An employee of Tips N Toes used a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze, but the room was still hot enough to set off the sprinkler system, Lancaster said.
The melted plastic dripped down on cardboard boxes in the storage room, which appeared to be a converted bathroom, Lancaster said.
The mall was not evacuated after the call came in around 10:17 a.m. because it did not appear to be necessary, the mall's manager said.
When the alarm stopped around 10:40 a.m., firefighters used brooms to sweep the pooled water out of the entranceway.
For the most complete detail, please pick up a copy of Wednesday's News-Argus from a newsstand.