Safeway heater starts sprinklers Tuesday
NANCE BESTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 4 months AGO
The Ephrata Safeway’s sprinkler system went off Tuesday afternoon because the store's heaters became too hot. There was not a fire within the building; however, the store spent a couple of hours cleaning up water after the incident. Ephrata Fire Department staff said the sprinklers likely prevented a fire from igniting.
FILE PHOTO
EPHRATA – A heater at the Ephrata Safeway triggered the building’s sprinkler system and a call to the Ephrata Fire Department on Tuesday.
Ephrata Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Anthony Graff said store employees called the fire department at around 3:12 p.m. because the sprinkler system went off. Graff showed up to the scene about three minutes after the call and found one of the heaters in the store had emitted enough heat to trigger the sprinkler system.
Graff waited for an engine to arrive at the scene, which took about 10 minutes, and fire crews turned off the sprinklers. He said he wanted to ensure they had another form of water available before shutting them off. The department disconnected the heater from the power supply and left the store by 3:40 p.m. Safeway took a couple of hours to clean up the water, but the store is functioning as usual.
“It generated enough heat that caused the nearby sprinkler to activate, which probably kept it from heating up anything else, and that's potentially causing ignition to anything else,” Graff said. “So, we never really did have an active fire in the store, but we certainly did have the potential of it, and that the sprinkler system worked exactly how it's supposed to and kind of slowed the spread of flames. That heater was hot enough that even when I got there you could see the glowing elements massively overheating inside.”
Management at the Ephrata Safeway declined to comment when contacted.
ARTICLES BY NANCE BESTON
1 arrested after Highway 17 stop; detectives recover fentanyl, firearms
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Street Crimes Unit conducted a traffic stop on Highway 17 near Randolph Road and executed a search warrant Friday morning as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation.
4th-year drought declaration in WA, subtle effects in the Columbia Basin
EPHRATA — Washington’s fourth straight year of drought is expected to hit some regions hard, but in Grant and Adams counties, the impacts will look different – quieter, less visible and centered underground. Statewide, the Department of Ecology issued an emergency drought declaration after a warm winter left Washington with about half its usual snowpack, raising concerns about low summer streamflows, stressed fish populations and heightened wildfire risk. Seven of the past 10 years have included drought somewhere in the state. “If you look at our mountains, the challenge we are facing is clear,” Gov. Bob Ferguson said during a press conference Wednesday. “We’re taking emergency action to protect fish, farmers and communities across Washington.”
Sleep Diagnostic Center to close after doctor’s sentencing
MOSES LAKE — The Central Washington Sleep Diagnostic Center announced it will be closing its doors effective April 30. This includes locations in Moses Lake, Spokane Valley, Brewster and Wenatchee. The announcement follows the March 25 guilty plea from Dr. Eric Edward Haeger, 57, in United States District Court to adulterating and misbranding medical devices with the intent to defraud or mislead, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “The adulterations by Dr Haeger show a dangerous disregard for the safety of his patients,” Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said in a statement. “This is a win for patient safety, for protecting public dollars from fraud, and for ensuring citizens of Washington get necessary healthcare. This case exemplifies the great work our team is doing in collaboration with our federal partners to fight fraud and protect Washingtonians.”