Home fires are a serious threat to residents and responding firefighters and fire sprinklers are an exceptional community risk reduction tool in that they save life, property, and eliminate any extension of fire into community spaces.
Boulder Fire-Rescue wants to emphasize the importance of residential fire sprinklers in saving lives, property, and communities. According to Boulder Fire-Rescue, sprinkler systems installed in four homes made a significant difference in lessening fire damage and fire spread this year.
Boulder Fire-Rescue has documented several cases where residential fire sprinklers have played a pivotal role:
- Half Fast Subs Apartment Fire - January 5, 2025 – Boulder Fire-Rescue responded to the 1200 block of 13th street for the report of a fire in the attic. Sprinklers went off in the structure and while the structure maintained fire, smoke, and water damage, without the sprinklers there would likely not have been a recoverable building on this site.
- Pine Street Fire - February 9, 2025 – Crews responded to the 1400 block of Pine Street to what was an active fire on the 2nd floor on the bed. When crews reached the fire they could tell where it had been but it had already been put out by the fire sprinkler above the bed. Crews ventilated the apartment and assisted five individuals in placement for the evening.
- Weathervane Apartments Fire - April 25, 2025 – Boulder Fire-Rescue responded to 5869 Arapahoe Ave for an apartment kitchen fire. A single sprinkler in the kitchen of the unit suppressed the fire that occurred on the stove. This sprinkler not only limited damage of the immediate unit, but of the apartment building as a whole.
- 28th Street Fire - May 12, 2025 – Crews responded to 2600 block of 28th Street for a fire in a single apartment unit. While crews did activate a hose line for this call, the fire sprinkler also activated and assisted with fire control in the living room area.
In all instances, fire investigators determined that the impact of the fire could have been more severe had the sprinklers not slowed or stopped the fire. In two of these circumstances, the fire was completely out by the time that Boulder Fire-Rescue arrived on scene.
“These incidents are only a few of the many that highlight the value of residential sprinkler systems in our community,” said Dave Lowrey, Division Chief and Fire Marshall for Boulder Fire-Rescue. “The City of Boulder has come a long way in requiring residential sprinklers. Smoke alarms provide early notification of a fire, but the fire sprinklers actively suppress a fire, allowing enough time for people to get out of the building.
Today’s fires can become deadly in minutes, but home fire sprinklers are faster than that and can control or extinguish a fire in less than two minutes. Only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate from the heat of the fire, allowing time to escape. Fire sprinklers use far less water compared to firefighter hoses. Home fires are a serious threat to residents and responding firefighters and fire sprinklers are an exceptional community risk reduction tool in that they save life, property, and eliminate any extension of fire into community spaces.