May 2003
Pfister Hotel, Milwaukee
A fire sprinkler system prevented a fire from
spreading in the 14th floor hallway of The Pfister Hotel
in downtown Milwaukee. More than 100 years old, The Pfister
is Wisconsin’s most historic hotel.
According to Captain Anthony Wichman, Milwaukee
Fire Department, a member of the housekeeping staff emptied
an ashtray in a trashcan in the housekeeping cart. The cart
was in the hallway blocking the entrance to the room. While
the housekeeping staff member cleaned the bathroom, the fire
spread throughout the cart to the hallway walls. Smoke activated
the smoke alarm. The heat from the fire eventually activated
a single sprinkler in the hallway. When firefighters arrived
on the 14th floor, the fire was extinguished by the single
sprinkler.
"The sprinkler did what it was supposed
to do," Wichman said. "That cart was filled with
towels and combustible cleaning supplies. That fire had the
potential to cause extreme smoke and heat damage on that
floor and probably the floors above and below," he added.
Wichman said that the fire sprinkler probably
saved the staff member’s life because the burning cart
prevented her from being able to exit the room.
"Thirty firefighters responded to that
fire alarm," Wichman said. "We were able to send
20 firefighters back to the station in minutes because of
that sprinkler system. When a building like that is protected
with sprinklers it prevents our firefighters from being in
danger," he said.
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