broken city

an article about broken fire hydrants

A stepped-up inspection of D.C. fire hydrants is finding that nearly 10 percent don't work, fire union officials said yesterday

10%? how is that remotely acceptable?

even Bloomingdale gets a mention


In the Bloomingdale neighborhood, at Flagler Place and V Street NW, a lime-green hydrant had a collar yesterday that read "Maintenance Required," to the dismay of Maxine Sumner-Clark, who lives a half-block away. She said several vacant homes in the area have caught fire in recent years, and there is a construction site across from the hydrant -- even more reason, she said, to have a fully functioning fire hydrant on the corner.