Why were fire hydrants unusable during the wholesale market blaze?

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Unusable Fire Hydrants Hampered Wholesale Market Blaze Response

Firefighting efforts at the Selangor Wholesale Market blaze were significantly hindered by the unavailability of five nearby fire hydrants, which were found to be under private management. This critical infrastructure failure meant that fire crews had to solely depend on water supplies from their own fire engines and water tanker lorries. The blaze, which began around 10:50 pm, involved the explosion of approximately 2,000 methane gas canisters, exacerbating the challenges faced by the responding teams.
Private Management of Hydrants Restricted Water Access

The operational difficulties were compounded by the fact that five fire hydrants in the immediate vicinity of the Selangor Wholesale Market were not accessible to the fire department. These hydrants were managed privately, rendering them unusable during the emergency. Consequently, the Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) personnel were compelled to rely entirely on the water carried by their 19 deployed vehicles and water tanker lorries to combat the fire.
Explosions and Rapid Spread Challenged Firefighters

The fire, which started on the night of July 23, rapidly intensified due to strong winds and the presence of a large quantity of methane gas canisters. The initial stages of the incident were marked by several explosions, attributed to the estimated 2,000 gas canisters on site. These explosions and the rapid spread of flames, visible from nearly three kilometres away, presented a formidable challenge for the 68 JBPM officers and 67 Fire Volunteer members deployed.
Critical Market Sections Saved Despite Difficulties

Despite the constraints posed by the unusable hydrants and the intensity of the fire, firefighters managed to contain the blaze by 1:20 am. A crucial success of the operation was preventing the fire from reaching the main market building, which housed the fish, vegetable, and meat sections. This vital area was situated approximately 50 metres from the affected storage premises. Extinguishing operations continued into the following day at three specific storage areas.

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Why were fire hydrants unusable during the wholesale market blaze?

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