A warning has been issued after fire crews were delayed at responding to a fire, due to a vehicle being parked on a hydrant.
From Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service:
At 09.56 this morning, we were mobilised to a van fire.
On arrival, the crew found one camper van alight, which contained a propane cylinder affected by heat. The cylinder has started venting pressurised gas, posing a serious risk to the public, and crew.
Crew fought the fire using 1 Hosereel jet, 2 Breathing Apparatus and a Thermal Image Camera, and remained on scene once the fire was extinguished to ensure any risk posed by the cylinder had passed.
The crew then discovered that a car had been parked on top of the nearest hydrant, preventing them from accessing the dedicated emergency water supply.
Hydrants are strategically positioned, and we rely on them for our firefighting water.
If the nearest hydrant to an incident is unavailable due to poor parking, we may need to locate, and access, another.
This delays firefighting and rescue operations, and results in a loss of pressure from the hydrant supply due to the excessive distance the water needs to travel to reach the pumping appliance. This puts firefighters at risk.
Please help us by taking an extra moment to check that you haven’t inadvertently obstructed a hydrant when parking, particularly if it’s somewhere you do not often visit.
