On Nov. 19 at around four in the afternoon, a fire hydrant was accidentally hit by a car that was going in reverse. Many students walking by were startled by the occurrence as the water suddenly shot up into the air.
Students and adults began filming out of shock but thankfully, professional help arrived on campus minutes later to contain the situation. Ridima Kazi (11) was sitting in her car in the parking lot about 30 feet away when the accident happened.
“I was surprised and confused about how the fire hydrant exploded and my initial thoughts were the wellbeing of the people around it,” Ridima says. “I wasn’t sure what to do so I just texted my friend to come to my car to see what was happening.”
Many students were alarmed by the immediate noise that came after the car had hit the fire hydrant. Rania Kazi (10) says, “I was very shocked and there was a loud noise so I moved out of the way because I didn’t want the water to get on me and I texted my friends about it later that afternoon.”
When a vehicle hits a fire hydrant, several things can happen depending on the speed and force of the impact. The hydrant is designed with a “breakaway” point near its base which is an intentional weak spot intended to break from the outcome. This part of the hydrant is designed to protect the water main from any major damage and it makes repairs much easier.
If the hydrant breaks at the breakaway point, the pressurized water inside the main will erupt, creating a geyser which is exactly what happened in this situation.
The escaping water could flood the surrounding area therefore creating a walking hazard for nearby pedestrians and other vehicles as well. Though the accident was not this extreme, there was a slight delay in the school traffic. Luckily, no school property was severely damaged.
Throughout these circumstances, people nearby could have been injured by the impact or by the force of the water. Students that were walking in the surrounding area quickly got out of the way. Some followed their instinct to get the necessary help. Others watched as the water continued to shoot up into the air as they did not know what to do in that sudden moment.
Tigerlilee Flores (11) says, “When I saw my friend’s social media story with a giant gush of water shooting up in front of the boys locker room, I thought it was crazy. Many irresponsible drivers tend to not prioritize their surroundings while in the drivers seat but I think that everyone is aware of this fact so we already know that we need to be extremely cautious.
The students at our school are fairly new drivers so there are many opportunities for disaster. Throughout my time in highschool, I’ve seen numerous small accidents occur and I’ve heard other stories that I wasn’t aware of from my friends who also drive. The school parking lot is a scary place which is why I park on the hill.”
Automobile accidents tend to happen from time to time. Whether it’s a parent or a student, carelessness and recklessness may come from any driver. It is extremely important that all drivers learn to be aware of their surroundings for personal safety and for the safety of innocent bystanders that may not yet be aware of the dangers of their environment.
