Private contractors endanger lives, homes by mishandling hydrants in Detroit
The city of Detroit issued about 480 permits last year for private users to tap into hydrants but did nothing to ensure the fire plugs were properly used.
The city of Detroit issued about 480 permits last year for private users to tap into hydrants but did nothing to ensure the fire plugs were properly used.
“Clearly, this should not have happened and DWSD is now in the process of reviewing this list to ensure such an error does not happen in the future,” DWSD spokesman Greg Eno said.
The city is trying to determine how many people improperly lost their water this week.
Fires burned longer and caused more damage because of inoperable hydrants and the rapidly declining condition of the city’s rigs.
Preservationists and others are hoping the city of Detroit will protect the unique building with a historic designation.
The Michigan Department of Transportation is inspecting the road to determine whether it was structurally damaged.
The broken hydrants protect homes, schools, historic buildings, apartment high-rises, downtown skyscrapers, libraries, gas stations, churches and more.
Mayor Duggan’s administration has declined to release public records on broken hydrants.
Firefighters are losing control of fires because many streets have no working hydrants.
Detroit firefighters were trying to save up to three people trapped on the third floor of a building that exploded this morning on the east side.