Charlestown fire: Woman, 97, among a dozen persons homeless

Yonnie Forde, a resident in the area, told reporters that while the Fire Service responded “promptly” the first tender to arrive on the scene did not have water supply to immediately go into firefighting action.

In response, The Fire Chief Wickham explained that fire tenders “always” show up at scenes with water. However, he said the supply per a tender would be exhausted “quickly”.

“The water in the tank supply is just about 250 gallons of water. We have a pump that is attached to that appliance that pumps a 250 PSI. So, within a short while that water would be exhausted and so they have to move, which is in keeping with our SOP’s (Standard Operating Procedures), to an open source to water or to a nearby hydrant to get water,” Wickham explained.

A fire hydrant is situated in close proximity to the fire.

And, according to Wickham, the hydrant was used to source water to extinguish the fire.

“It was used,” he said.

As a matter of fact while he admitted that he won’t say that all hydrants across the country are “in working order”, Wickham said efforts are underway to ensure hydrants are repaired, serviced and even installed.

“So now we have a whole host of hydrants that are in working condition,” he noted.