CHAPEL HILL – A sprinkler system in a Chapel Hill home likely saved multiple homes Saturday when a fire broke out while the homeowners were away.

The Chapel Hill Fire Department responded to 108 Vintage Drive just after 12:15 p.m. Saturday to find that the automatic fire sprinklers extinguished a fire in the garage. The home where the fire started is connected to four other town homes.

The fire department was alerted by the fire alarm inside the home as well as a neighbor who saw smoke.

Fire fighters made sure the fire was completely out, and then shut off the sprinkler system which was automatically activated when the ceiling near the sprinkler heads reached approximately 155 degrees.

Damage was minimal and limited to the garage door, a few personal belongings, and some smoke made it into the house. The fire department estimated $5,000 in damage.

In a release, the fire department said, “The presence of an automatic fire sprinkler system in this home prevented a fire in an unattended home from growing larger and causing severe damage to the owner’s home as well as the neighbors’ homes within the building.

Automatic fire sprinklers are proven to save lives, prevent injuries, protect property, and valuables. This is yet another example of how the presence of an automatic fire sprinkler system prevented substantial damage to a dwelling by fire.”