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Frigid weather complicates fire fighting in Detroit
Detroit firefighters spent hours battling a fire Monday that typically would only take about an hour to extinguish in warmer weather. Cold temperatures not only lead to reduced water pressure and frozen lines, but increases the risk of injuries such as falls.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Frigid temperatures Monday morning made fighting a Detroit house fire more difficult than usual.
Fire crews spent hours on Linnhurst, near Gratiot and Seven Mile, as they battled flames in single-digit temps.
The backstory:
Firefighters were called to the home around 3:45 a.m. When they arrived, the three occupants were already safely outside, and the status of the home was too dangerous for firefighters to enter.
Crews fought the flames from outside as the back of the house collapsed.
What they're saying:
Fire officials said fires like the one they dealt with Monday usually only take about an hour to extinguish, but winter weather can extend that timeline as firefighters deal with obstacles such as frozen lines and low water pressure from hydrants. Pressure was a problem at the Linnhurst scene.
Beyond making it more difficult to fight fires, winter weather also leads to an increased risk for injuries, including slips and falls.
"Wintertime is the worst," Battalion Chief Thomas Suchora said. "I've always said, people always ask me over the years, ‘What’s harder? Fighting fires in the summer or fighting fires in the winter?' and I always say the winter because the winter hurts."
What's next:
Residents who are now without a home will be receiving help from the American Red Cross.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The Source: FOX 2 was at the scene of this fire.
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