Fears over blocked fire hydrants after blaze at family home

Firefighters responding to a blaze at a family home in Letterkenny last month found a fire hydrant blocked.

A fire ripped through the two-storey semi-detached house in the Meadowbank area of the Long Lane at the beginning of December.

Personnel from the Donegal Fire Service struggled with a clogged hydrant and were forced to find another nearby. The matter was brought to the latest meeting of the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District this week.

Separate motions on the issue were tabled by Councillors Gerry McMonagle and Jimmy Kavanagh.

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The Councillors asked that an immediate inspection of all hydrants in the Municipal District take place to ensure that all are fit for purpose.

A spokesperson for Donegal County Council explained that the maintenance of fire hydrants on the public water network rested with the Sanitary Authority under the Fire Services Act, 1981 and transferred to Irish Water when that body was established as the service provider.

“The responsibility for fire hydrants on private networks rests with the entity owning or having responsibility for the network,” Donegal County Council said.

“Donegal County Fire Service carry out hydrant inspections as part of an ongoing programme. Any defects found in fire hydrants during hydrant inspections or at incidents are recorded on a pro forma hydrant inspection sheet that is forwarded to Irish Water for remedial works.”

Councillor McMonagle said he was aware that ‘a number’ of hydrants across the town are in need of attention.

“This is a worry for the people who live in the area and it must be a worry too for the Fire Service that there will be a blockage,” he said. Councillor McMonagle said he was not aware of the problematic hydrant in the Long Lane area being fixed yet.

Edward Gallagher, a representative of the Donegal Fire Service, said he was not aware if the issue had been addressed by Irish Water. He confirmed that a pro forma hydrant inspection sheet has been forwarded to Irish Water.

Mr Gallagher told the meeting that tablets are carried in all fire engines which show the locations of all fire hydrants.

Councillor Kavanagh said: “I first raised this issue in 2021 and there are concerns at the fire hydrants either being not accessible or not working. This could have serious consequences and three or four minutes, vital time, could be lost in trying to locate another hydrant.

“Firefighters say that this is a common problem. If it is a countrywide issue, maybe we could write to the Minister. Fire hydrants not working is a very common problem, but it is an important issue and we should have clarity.”