Fire Officer’s Warning On Cars Over Hydrants

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30172, 2 July 1963, Page 12

Fire Officer’s Warning On Cars Over Hydrants

On three occasions recently, the Christchurch Fire Brigade has been hindered In lighting fires, by can parked over fire hydrants in streets.

The hydrants were all clearly indicated, and the motorists had parked their cars over them in daylight The motorists were breaking the traffic regulations and therefore would have had no legal grounds for compensation if the firemen had tipped the cars over to get acoess to the water. In the first instance, a twostorev 10-roomed house In Manchester street, was severely damaged by fire Firemen wasted seconds tn having to use a hydrant further | up the road than the one blocked by the parked car Approximately £ 1000 worth of material was destroyed by fire in a plastics factory in St Asaph street A car was parked over the nearest hydrant Firemen joggled the locked car. which was in gear, up and down by Its bumpers

to move it from the hydrant wasting precious seconds. A traffic officer put a parking offence ticket on the car. Yesterday, when called to a fire in the Post Office Savings Bank building in Hereford street firemen found a car parked over the nearest hydrant Another hydrant was nearby and. fortunately, a reel hose only was found necessary to put out the minor fire.

The Chief Fire Officer (Mr L. R Osmond) said yesterday that on occasions It bad been necessary to tip a vehicle on its side to get at a hydrant "We have no hesitation in dom t this if it is required. A i motorist is likely to find bis ar pretty severely damaged 1 if be leaves it over a hyd- . rant and a fire call is received.” he said. “Our first duty is to get a i fire out, and no hindrance ' ean be allowed in performing this duty. The motorist who parks over a hydrant which ,

is clearly marked has no redress if his car happens to get damaged because it is illegally parked in the way of firefighters.’’