14 DAY TRIAL // When Boston firefighters were called to put down an eight-alarm fire in the eastern part of the city on Wednesday night, they ran into an unexpected obstacle. Someone had illegally parked a BMW in front of the hydrant across the street from where the blaze started.
So, in order to get water to quench the fire, firefighters decided to smash the coupe's windows to extend their hose from the hydrant towards the flames. Moreover, they had to lift the vehicle and move it about one foot away because the unusual position of the hose created a bend that was reducing the pressure of the water. Keeping it in a straight line helps maintain a constant pressure and flow of water.
“The general reaction is that some people find humor in it. But it’s really a serious situation. That water supply is the lifeblood of the engine company. The engine carries 750 gallons – and that could be gone in just two minutes. With that number of alarms, every hydrant is important,” Boston Fire Department spokesman Steve MacDonald told the Boston Globe.
It seems that the fire started after a car exploded in a garage, but was eventually put down by the quick-thinking firefighters, who didn't let an illegally parked car stay in the way of their operation.
Under the Massachusetts state's law, it is illegal to park within 10 feet (3 meters) of a fire hydrant, so the driver was ticketed and the car removed from that spot.