Sprinkler alarm activated at Crystal River church, but no fire
Photos courtesy of CCFR.
Citrus County Fire Rescue
Crystal River, Florida — At 3:19 pm on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, Citrus County Fire Rescue responded to Gulf to Lake Baptist Church, located at 1454 N. Gulf Ave. in Crystal River, due to a commercial fire alarm and the sprinkler system being activated. First responders found no visible signs of fire or smoke.
Church office personnel directed fire crews to the building at the rear of the church that houses the ministry and gymnasium. Workers inside the building informed fire personnel that the sprinkler system in a work room was activated while they were burning wood near a sprinkler head. The work room contained a light haze of smoke.
To ensure safety, fire personnel utilized a thermal imaging camera (TIC) to check the work room for any high heat sources, and found none. Workers shut off the water supply to the sprinkler system and opened the main drain to drain any remaining water.
Fire personnel remained on fire watch at the location until the sprinkler system was fully operational after the incident. The fire watch procedure is an alternative to the evacuation of a facility during the temporary loss of a critical life safety system, as allowed by the Florida Fire Prevention Code. A fire watch must be established if a fire alarm or fire sprinkler system is shut down for more than 10 hours within a 24-hour period.
The work room was ventilated using an electric exhaust fan to clear any remaining smoke haze. Victim advocate services responded to the scene to assist with the recovery process. No further hazards were identified. The scene was cleared at 4:11 pm. No injuries were reported.
Firefighters from the Connell Heights Fire Station responded to the scene, along with the fire marshal.
In the event of a fire, call 911.