Frigid temperatures are complicating firefighting efforts across Brooklyn, as frozen fire hydrants create additional challenges to the FDNY.
A fire broke out early Thursday morning at a NYCHA development in Crown Heights, and a similar scene unfolded at a home in East Flatbush, as firefighters battled flames in the bitter cold.
On Wednesday, firefighters responded to a massive fire in Flatlands that took three hours to extinguish, partly due to frozen hydrants.
Icicles were seen clinging to hydrants at all three scenes.
Residents told News 12 about the frustration they have with the impact of the cold on firefighting efforts.
“I don’t really have a take on it because I’m really cold and I’ve been out in the cold all day, but I don’t know what they can do about that," said a tenant in the Crown Heights building. "The problem has to be solved."
The FDNY is now deploying specialized thawing apparatus trucks equipped with hoses that generate heat to melt ice and restore water flow.
Officials say these trucks are critical to ensuring firefighters can access water and do their jobs effectively in such extreme weather.