CBS 58

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A house fire on Milwaukee’s north side Wednesday night, Dec. 3, is raising awareness about a problem firefighters often face during winter - hydrants that aren’t usable when crews need water fast.

Firefighters responding to a home on N. 9th Street found heavy smoke, but several nearby hydrants were not working. The Milwaukee Fire Department says the exact cause of those issues is unknown, but the incident highlights challenges that become more common during cold weather.

When a hydrant is frozen or buried under snow, firefighters lose valuable time.

“People don’t shovel their hydrants out. We either can’t see it or we have to stop and dig that hydrant out,” Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski said. “It’s a delay in us being able to get water.”

Lipski says fr

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