Water has been shooting into the air on a busy east Manchester road after a fire hydrant was set off on the city's hottest day on record. Police and United Utilities engineers have been called out to Hyde Road, in Gorton, this evening (July 19) as the bustling carriageway was being covered in water.
It comes just 24 hours after another fire hydrant was set off in Salford, as well as one in Huyton, Merseyside. The sudden loss of large volumes of water resulted in some homes in the area, on one of the hottest nights on record, having no water - while tap water was discoloured for other residents.
United Utilities says incidents like this are on the rise amid the ongoing heatwave, and vandals are adding to the drain on its resources by tampering with fire hydrants and abusing engineers. The company says it is working hard to make sure there is enough water to meet soaring demand - and incidents like this don't help.
READ MORE: Greater Manchester temperatures set to almost HALVE after another record-breaking day
Phil Sweeney, head of central operations at United Utilities, said: “Fire hydrant abuse is not harmless fun - it is dangerous, costly, and an incredible waste of water, especially during times of high demand. Those who vandalise hydrants are not only putting themselves at risk of injury from highly pressurised water, they are also impacting our ability to keep water flowing to homes, businesses, hospitals and vulnerable customers.
“Ultimately, this type of abuse could impact on the fire service’s ability to tackle a blaze, whether at a property or on moorland, and put lives at risk.” Fire hydrants are found on most streets, allowing emergency access to water supplies.
By tampering with them and letting water out of the system, United Utilities says the vandals are not only wasting water, but potentially putting lives at risk. The loss of water also causes poor pressure in the system, meaning customers nearby may struggle to keep their taps flowing.
Ben Levy, area manager at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Fire hydrants ensure that the fire and rescue service have access to water in emergencies. Damaging them is not only dangerous and irresponsible, but the consequences can be extremely harmful, putting lives at risk.
“Our Safe4Summer campaign works with partners to tackle anti-social behaviour and keep young people safe over summer. I would encourage parents and carers to speak to the young people in their lives about the risks and consequences of anti-social behaviour.”
In addition to the immediate risks and loss of water, United Utilities says the problem is compounded because engineers often cannot safely get to the hydrant to turn it off with people staying in the area to cause further disruption, and even physical harm. Mr Sweeney added: “Our teams, and the fire service and police, should be able to do their jobs safely, but when attending these incidents they often find themselves facing verbal and physical abuse.
"This means we have to wait for crowds to disperse before shutting off the hydrant, meaning a longer impact for customers.” United Utilities says the incident in Gorton should be resolved this evening, while witnesses can report similar incidents to the police on 101.
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