Sheared Fire Hydrant Soaks Peninsula Firefighters

MENLO PARK, CA — What looked like a giant decorative water fountain outside a luxury Peninsula housing complex on Valentine’s Day was the unintended result of a minor traffic accident, Menlo Park firefighters said.

A FedEx truck crashed into a fire hydrant at 3639 Haven Avenue at around 4:15 p.m., and Menlo Park firefighters dispatched to the scene found minutes afterwards found water shooting out the height of a three-story Menlo Anton Housing complex, authorities said.

“Despite repeated efforts by the Firefighters to gain access to the street shut-off valve, which was located next to the hydrant, the water pressure and debris pummeled them and thwarted their repeated attempts to shut it off,” the fire department said in a statement.

Thousands of gallons flooded the streets as fire Captain Johnson requested help from the City of Menlo Park’s Water Department.

“Despite taking almost an hour as the system slowly depressurized, Firefighters waited for the right moment to successfully shut down the sheared off fire hydrant and then restore water pressure back to the complex,” the fire department said.

The incident is not uncommon, Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman said in a statement, noting that “Fire hydrants specifically can present a challenge when they get hit or sheared off. Sometimes we find the vehicles are still on top of them with people trapped inside.

This hydrant in this incident was looped on a high-pressure system designed for the high-density residential complex.

“It’s always impressive to see water shooting out of te ground like this, but trust me, those firefighters were pouring the water out of their boots before returning to the station and they were soaked to their core,” Schapelhouman said.