Low hydrant water pressure hampers Westfield firefight

Published 3 months ago• 3 minute read

WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A lack of water in fire hydrants hindered firefighters from putting out a large house fire in Westfield on Wednesday.

Fire engulfs home on Dubois Street in Westfield due to lack of water supply

Brent Crosler’s mother Darlene lived on the second floor of the multi-family home on Dubois Street in Westfield that went up in flames Wednesday.

“I was just kinda shocked,” said Crosler. “I ran over there as quick as I could. When I got there, firefighters were still scrambling trying to find hydrants that were working. It was a mess overall.”

The City of Westfield Fire Chief Patrick Egloff told 22News on Wednesday that they encountered multiple hydrants in the area that had little or no water pressure, “From what we found the main that we were originally on which was on Dubois St. was a 4-inch main which probably through calcification is down to an inch and a half.”

Calcification refers to the build-up of mineral deposits inside of a water pipe, that can significantly reduce water flow and pressure. The firefighters finally found water in this hydrant on the corner of N. Cherry St and White Avenue, so far away, that you can barely even see that house.

Crosler adds, “The amount of hoses they had to connect, I feel like if they would’ve had sufficient fire hydrant maybe something would’ve been salvaged you know the house might have been gone, but there might have been some kind of keepsake that somebody could’ve brought out of that.”

Crosler said his mother and her boyfriend as well as the three residents on the first floor made it out safely, but unfortunately, the three cats who lived in the house did not. “It just makes me think like they ever inspected? Are they up-kept? And how many more in the city are like that?”

Chief Egloff also mentioned on Wednesday that he had no doubt they would have been able to put out the fire a lot faster if there were adequate water supply.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire hydrants are supposed to be inspected annually to check the water flow and pressure.

22News has reached out to the City of Westfield Department of Public Works, and their Water Division but hasn’t heard back.

South Deerfield man arrested for assaulting federal agent

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.