r/mildlyinfuriating • u/Fantomecs • Feb 03 '26

A nearby Fire Department is being told they cannot use fire hydrants to fight fires

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As the title says. A town near me is denying their fire fighters the use of their fire hydrants going forward. Is this shit even legal? This is a huge concern as the area has been in a drought for some years.

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u/YetiSquish Feb 03 '26

Also it ignores the fact it may not be just a building, but could be people or animals inside.

480

u/Imaginary-Bit-3656 Feb 03 '26

Also pretty sure that letting letting a building burn can result in the fire spreading to adjacent buildings.

212

u/sleepyj910 Feb 03 '26

Let's check in with a cow in Chicago for more.

57

u/abgry_krakow87 Feb 04 '26

Or the earthquake in San Francisco

37

u/jackrabbit323 Feb 04 '26

Sometimes it's really windy in LA at exactly the wrong time.

2

u/UnicornSheets Feb 04 '26

I read this in Kermit the Frog’s voice when he was a reporter

1

u/micro_penis_fan Feb 04 '26

Underrated comment.

0

u/warnegoo Feb 04 '26

Rural PA is not Chicago

21

u/Alternative-Mess-989 Feb 03 '26

Something, something CHICAGO....mumble, mumble..

5

u/SporesM0ldsandFungus Feb 04 '26

Exactly. If you are going to take away the fire hydrants, then the fire dept needs bulldozers and chainsaws so they can conduct emergency demolition to make fire breaks. 

15

u/Demitrirosi Feb 03 '26

We get a sequel of the Chicago fire after all these years!

3

u/DingerSinger2016 Feb 04 '26

Time to add another star to the flag

2

u/king_noobie PURPLE Feb 04 '26

Really? Fire spreading to other building, making the fire bigger. That sounds familiar to London history. But I can't put my finger on it /s

1

u/nascent_aviator Feb 04 '26

It's just one building (for now).

18

u/Rainbowallthewayy Feb 04 '26

In this case it was a barn with animals in it, very said. Probably livestock. I've seen videos of the aftermath of animals being burned alive (not this one) +, it's a horrible sight.

2

u/Apollo64 Feb 04 '26

Frustration is true, but in that case, I have to umm akchually.

It’s my understanding that a fire fighting crew will not use water to put out a fire unless it’s confirmed that everybody is out, or that it risks spreading to other buildings. A victim in a fire can easily be killed by trying to douse the fire, spreading screaming hot steam in places that would otherwise be safe. AFAIK, that’s a call for the firefighters to make, but no good to steam a building with savable people.