Fire not caused by faulty hydrant

TOELDO, Ohio - An independent panel investigating the root cause of a June 9 fire that destroyed an historic Old West End home said faulty hydrant pressure was not to blame.

The panel, assembled June 22 by Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, said that in many instances a four-inch main is sufficient for fire departments to access to battle a fire, but by the time Toledo firefighters arrived to the Mount Vernon Avenue home, the fire had advanced so much that the fire department's response wasn't enough.

The independent panel said the Toledo Fire Department operated within its protocols in trying to extinguish the pre-dawn fire on Mount Vernon.

They recommended the fire department and the city's Department of Public Utilities should know the available Gallons Per Minute (GPM) in all hydrants throughout the Glass City.

The findings state the fire department should practice response drills in low GPM areas and consider color-coding on certain hydrants indicating water flow.