Fire And Sprinkler System Flooding Damage Mayo 420 Building In Downtown Tulsa

The 420 Mayo Building in downtown Tulsa was evacuated after a fire on the sixth floor. The sprinkler system quickly put the fire out - but caused water damage on that floor and the two below.

The small fire broke out before 11 p.m. Saturday at the Mayo 420 Building, an apartment building at 420 South Main, according to Captain Justin Banks of the Tulsa Fire Department. It was a kitchen fire caused by something left on the stove, according to TFD.

Water was flooding the floors when crews arrived.

"We've got a lot of water running down the elevator shafts right now and a lot of water running down the stairs too," he said.

Banks said the sprinkler system kept the fire from spreading, but left a significant amount of water to push from the building. 

"You have to get in front of quickly," he said. 

"It's got all the beauty of the old, but it's got all the technology of the new," he said of the apartment building. "Thankfully it's just an issue of water damage as opposed to an extensive fire."

Residents - many with their pets - stood outside the downtown residential complex as firefighters responded. Banks said his crews were helping residents whose apartments were flooded.

"I know if this was my home, I would want to expect this kind of service from my fire department," he said. "These people shouldn't expect anything less. We're there to serve them and try to do everything we can to get them back to at least as close to as comfortable state in their own home as we can."

Banks said most of the residents would be able to return overnight.

There were no injuries.

Restoration crews are on scene for the clean up Sunday.