Fire Sprinkler Snuffs Blaze at Retirement Center :   

Bainbridge Island firefighters responded to a reported fire alarm at the Madison Avenue Retirement Center, 285 Madison Avenue S at 10:59 PM Monday night, November 12^th.  Upon arrival firefighters found the fire alarm sounding and residents evacuating. 

A single fire sprinkler head extinguished a fire in a room on the 4^th floor of the 53-unit facility.  Six residents were displaced due to fire and water damage.  All were found places to stay until their units are deemed safe to reoccupy. 

 Firefighters credit the building's fire sprinkler system with controlling the fire and keeping it from spreading to other units in the facility.  Had the fire sprinkler system not been in place, Fire Department Officials predict that many residents would have been injured or killed and the damage would have been far more extensive. 

 The cause of the fire has been ruled accidental.

 Any questions regarding the fire should be directed to the Bainbridge Island Fire Department at 206-842-7686.