Questions around Toledo fire hydrants

TOLEDO, Ohio - Toledo city council members have called a public meeting to look into the city's fire hydrants after an historic Old West End on Mount Vernon Avenue home was destroyed by a fire early Tuesday.

"I think it needs to be done now, as soon as possible," said Councilwoman Wilma Brown. "Everyone's thinking, 'am I safe?'"

Councilwoman Brown wants to receive input on who is testing the hydrants and how often hydrant testing is conducted.

Barbie Harrison said a hydrant near home was not working and firefighters tried to find another one. While searching for another hydrant, the fire was left to breathe and grew out of control.

"We're paying for something we're not getting," Harrison said. "I'm angry about that and I have a right to be angry about that. The whole city needs to be concerned about my anger because it's just."

The fire department lost valuable time that could have been used to extinguish the fire.

Fire Chief Mike Wolever told FOX Toledo the hydrant was working, although the hydrant in question has a four-inch water main. There wasn't enough pressure put the fire out.

"I want to make sure the fire hydrant is working," Councilwoman Brown said, who called for a public safety committee meeting Tuesday, June 16. "I was thinking the hydrants had been checked and most were in working order."

""It was my understanding that it was to be check periodically so why wasn't that being done? And then why didn't we know it was faulty? I would have raised issues before now."

The public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 1 p.m. on the first floor of One Government Center downtown.

Though Chief Wolever said the hydrant in question was working, residents are wondering if they should be worried.

"I don't think they need to be worried," Councilwoman Brown said. "I think we as city officials need to be worried about is being done, whether they're being checked. With summer coming up, the kids are going to be opening them up for water or whatever because the pools won't be open. That's going to take pressure down."