Sprinklers prevented a stove fire from spreading after dousing flames at The Blue Apartments, 2707 S. Rutherford Blvd., Thursday afternoon, Dec. 12, causing water damage to several units.

When Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department (MFRD) firefighters arrived on the scene around 2:30 p.m., the building's fire suppression system had already triggered, which extinguished the flames.

The preliminary investigation revealed the tenants may have accidentally turned on a burner while cleaning. A pot with grease heated up, causing it to catch fire.

The 500 building was evacuated as a precaution.

Fire crews were able to shut off the sprinkler system and used fans to blow smoke out of the unit and overhaul the apartment.

"Sprinklers do save lives and property. I can't emphasize enough the importance of sprinklers," said Fire Marshal Carl Peas. "We also encourage residents to never leave food on a stove unattended."

Several apartments sustained minimum water damage from the sprinkler system. Electricity was turned off to several units while the maintenance crews restored the units.