Jefferson Avenue home scorched by fire; broken hydrant hinders firefighters

There was a house fire at 1500 Jefferson avenue on the corner of Pitt street on Saturday afternoon. Fire officials are investigating the cause of the fire. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)

The upper floor of a Jefferson Avenue home caught fire Saturday, and firefighters’ effort to contain the blaze was complicated by a broken hydrant, authorities said.

There was a house fire at 1500 Jefferson avenue on the corner of Pitt street on Saturday afternoon. Fire officials are investigating the cause of the fire. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)

An off-duty NOPD officer and EMT visiting from Colorado noticed flames from a house at 1500 Jefferson Avenue as they drove by shortly before 3:30 p.m. Saturday, and were able to get the resident out and call 911, according to the New Orleans Fire Department report. Firefighters who arrived four minutes after the call “found heavy smoke and fire coming from a third floor window,” and managed to get inside and upstairs to fight the blaze.

“Through the vigilant aggressive attack by firefighters, they were able to contain the fire to the third floor and attic of the home,” the report states.

The hydrant they tried to connect to at Jefferson and Pitt Street was not working, but they were able to run a line to a different hydrant before they ran out of water from the pump trucks, which carry 750 gallons of their own. Through their efforts, the work to contain the fire was not delayed, the report states.

“If not for the quick action and aggressive attack by the first arriving firefighters, this fire could have resulted in a major loss of the entire structure and possibly the neighboring home,” said Fire Chief Tim McConnell.

A total of 15 fire-department vehicles with 46 employees brought the fire under control by 4:25 p.m., the report states. No one was reported hurt, and the cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

There was a house fire at 1500 Jefferson avenue on the corner of Pitt street on Saturday afternoon. Fire officials are investigating the cause of the fire. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)

There was a house fire at 1500 Jefferson avenue on the corner of Pitt street on Saturday afternoon. Fire officials are investigating the cause of the fire. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)