Duluth Fire Dept. To Drivers: Stop Running Over Hoses At Fire Scenes

DULUTH, Minn. – A house fire in Duluth is forcing firefighters to issue another plea to drivers to stop running over their hoses when fighting fires.

It happened again Thursday morning during am electrical fire on the 700 block of West 4th Street in Duluth.

Everybody got out safely. Nobody was injured. But fire officials say several vehicles ran over hoses lines, which they say can be very dangerous for firefighters — cutting off crucial water pressure.

Hoses can also break, causing water disruption of at least five minutes, which is valuable time lost to save a structure or even firefighters or homeowners inside.

“It is a frustrating act to witness. Water pressure in a 4-inch yellow supply line contains pressure of over 100psi. That hose from the hydrant to the pumper supplies the water firefighters need to control the fire and to keep other buildings from catching fire,” said Brent Consie, assistant chief at the Duluth Fire Department. “Depending on our operation, this may not be enough time to evacuate our crews.”

In Thursday’s case, “one vehicle not only drove over the hose line, but also drove around two DPD squad cars to continue on their way. Please find a different route to your destination rather than interfering with an active scene,” the city said in a press release.