Firefighters unable to save house due to copper thieves

[19720]

Firefighters unable to save house due to copper thieves






HESPERIA — Firefighters were unable to douse an early morning blaze in time because copper fittings worth a mere $8 had been stolen from all five fire hydrants on the block.

As a result, Jerry Malberg lost his mother’s house near Rock Springs Road.

Hesperia Councilwoman Rita Vogler said authorities will look for those responsible at metal recycling spots and encouraged residents to report fire hydrants with missing tops to the fire department.

“This is a trend that has to do with the rising prices of metals and it’s bigger than San Bernardino County, which is why we need to be on the look out,” she said.

The house was empty at the time, but Malberg’s neighbors, Tony and Kim Gallegos, thought otherwise.

Tony Gallegos attempted to put out the fire with a garden hose while waiting for firefighters to arrive. Other neighbors were honking horns trying to wake up the occupants, said Gallegos.

“We watch out for our neighbors’ property all the time,” said Kim Gallegos. “We never thought we’d have to watch out for the hydrants.”

Firefighter Bill Vallarino said after he noticed the copper tops had been taken, it took an additional 20 minutes for water tenders to arrive and get continuous water pressure on the house.

Despite the efforts of 17 firefighters who contained the fire by 6:55 a.m., an estimated $175,000 in damage was done.

The fire is being called an accident at this time, resulting from a lit stove back burner officials said.

Malberg received a phone call in Ontario shortly after the fire and returned to salvage charred heirlooms.

“This is a great neighborhood, and I’m devastated about my mother’s house,” said Malberg. “But things happen. What can you do?”

Vogler said the fire could have spread if it had started on a hot, windy afternoon.

“The fire was in a large area and it’s a good thing firefighters found another hydrant piece in time,” Vogler said. “This is outright vandalism.”

Local News: Firefighters unable to save house due to copper thieves | house,


If caught the said thieves should be burned at the stake.

[M.Opaliski]

The correct headline shold be:

House burns down because of irresponsible owner

C'mon, they left the stove on, and whether Copper thieves stole the inners from the hydrant that isn't the actual cause of the fire yet it makes the headline because it's in vouge to do so. Play on those emotions, works every time ...

How long ago were they stolen, not that it's right, but could it be that the house burned down due to lack of hydrant maintenance, and what's more, it looks like they replaced it with more Copper hardware, hello ...

Do they carry hydrant parts on the truck, seeing as how it's a problem.

[19720]

The correct headline shold be:

House burns down because of irresponsible owner

Just because the persons house was burnt to the ground over carelessness, does not give anyone the right to go and steal the caps off of fire hydrants....
The fire is not the point of the post, not how it started, not why it started, nor who started it. The post was to show how "F'ing" ignorant poeple can be to steal something that might save their ass someday...


I really think that the salvage yards need to be prosecuted for recieving stolen property... Something as blatant as a cap for the top of a firehydrant, more than 2, should cause a raised brow.....

[Tracy]

it looks like they replaced it with more Copper hardware, hello ...

Do they carry hydrant parts on the truck, seeing as how it's a problem.

I totally agree Zip.....However, why would the State of California replace the copper parts with more copper parts when there are numbskulls out there stealing the copper? And Mo's point about the firetrucks needing additional parts because of this problem is very valid as well. I dunno...maybe this is a very expensive proposition? Regardless....what a bunch of jackasses to steal something that saves people's lives.

[Crabby]

I'm no expert on California fire hydrants, but I don't think we have copper alloy here, it's bronze and ductile iron. No, we don't carry spare parts, just the hydrant wrench. We don't own the hydrants, the water company or city water department does, and you have to be licensed to do anything with them besides open them . The photo in the article is misleading, I don't see a thing missing on top. Maybe it's just meant to show an example. We don't need to start having copy cat crimes here!

[Crabby]

Yes, I know I'm kicking a dead horse here, but a couple of the comments about fire fighters needing to carry "spare parts" for fire hydrants and somehow carrying part of the "blame" for that house fire really bothered me. I know it's just simple lack of knowledge, but I'll feel better if I explain to you a tiny bit about how hydrants work. When we attach the hydrant wrench to the nut on the top and turn it, it's not like taking the top off a bottle. There is an attached shaft that screws up to turn on the water. It goes down quite deep and can't be fixed with a spare part. If someone has cut off the top nut flush with the hydrant, there is nothing to grip onto and we are out of business with that water source. I think the whole thing would have to be pulled out of the ground to fix it....not something you can do at the fire scene. Ok, now I feel better.

[Chase]

This is true ^^

I use to do flow tests all the time at my old job, some of the older hydrants can really be a pain and if that shaft is twisted or stuck you are not getting the hydrant opened...