Hydrants empty at apartment fire Ashford at Stoneridge Apartments

RIVERDALE, Ga. — About 40 folks at The Ashford at Stoneridge Residences are with out a dwelling following a fire broke out Wednesday engulfing an full building and destroying 16 units. 

The next working day, neighbors informed 11Alive the smoke detectors and sprinklers have been in no way energetic and they were being only notified of the fire when a neighbor arrived from a setting up next doorway. 

“The sprinklers did do the job. The hearth hydrants did not get the job done,” Edward Hightower advised 11Alive’s Karys Belger. 

Hightower lived in one particular of the flats with his girlfriend. He arrived again to the complicated to see the full extent of the injury. 

He claimed initial responders had been stalled for a time because the fireplace hydrants in the advanced had been not making the h2o that was required to battle the fireplace. Hightower stated the fireplace began in one component of the creating prior to sooner or later catching into some nearby trees. When firefighters couldn’t get sufficient water, the blaze ultimately distribute to the relaxation of the elaborate, including his unit. 

“Everybody’s helpless. You know, we know what to do. Could not do anything at all,” he reported.

This information was echoed by other people who lived in the sophisticated. 11Alive labored to verify the statements. The Clayton County Fire Department bolstered what Hightower mentioned. 

“We went to the 1st hydrant that was available– linked to that hydrant: experienced almost nothing. I imagine it was putting out someplace concerning 10 to 12 PSI at that time, which in this spot of the county is well beneath what that drinking water stress really should be with wished-for,” Chief Landry Merkison informed reporters Thursday afternoon. 

Main Merkison also told 11Alive, that the fire section works with the Clayton County Drinking water Authority to inspect the fireplace hydrants, but it truly is up to the condominium complex to keep them because they are on non-public residence. 

“We arrive out, provider them, glaze them, make absolutely sure they are operational for if we want them,” he mentioned. 

The hydrants are supposed to be inspected every single year. Chief Landry reported the 12 fireplace hydrants on the assets were being previous inspected on October 21, 2021. He also stated there have been no troubles at the time of the inspection. 

The Clayton County H2o Authority echoed this in a assertion to 11Alive. It reported in part:

“We do not have or retain the hydrants situated inside of the apartment complicated. They are privately owned and thus maintained by the home operator. It appears there was a non-public assets most important break that induced a reduction in stress and a reduction of drinking water. Almost everything was working adequately on our side of the method.”

11Alive achieved out to the apartment advanced and the organization that operates it multiple times during the day. A response has not been specified yet.