A high-pressure fire hydrant, knocked over by a suspected carjacker fleeing a crime scene, sent water hundreds of feet into the air damaging three homes in El Sereno.
The hydrant, located at 3355 N. Edloft Ave., erupted after being hit by an accused carjacker shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday. It took firefighters an unusual 75 minutes to turn the hydrant off. Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Matt Spence said a special tool, not carried by fire trucks, was needed to gain control over this particular gusher. The Department of Water and Power had to rush an extended wrench to the scene for the water to be turned off.
Aerial video showed water pouring down on houses with runoff entering at least one structure. A fire captain at the scene told NBC4 one home was red-tagged.
Shocked family members who were moving out of the red-tagged property told NBC4 they were inside watching television when the hydrant was knocked over. Two other houses were hit from the high flow water stream but the fire captain said it did not appear those folks would have to leave their homes.
The suspected carjacker was driving like a maniac when he slammed into the fire hydrant, said an eyewitness at the scene. Officer Karen Rayner, spokeswoman for Los Angeles Police Department, said the alleged carjacker was taken to a nearby hospital with a huge gash on his head.
Officers at the scene checked the car license plate and discovered it had been stolen at knifepoint only minutes before the wreck at nearby 4600 Huntington Drive. The driver was handcuffed by an officer at the hospital.
