From the Toronto Star

Hydrant hampers firefighters
Pipe nearest blaze wasn't working

Three injured battling Forest Hill fire
Feb. 27, 2006. 03:21 PM
HENRY STANCU
STAFF REPORTER

Three firefighters were injured battling a third-alarm blaze at a Forest Hill home that may have been knocked out sooner had a faulty hydrant near the house been working.
The blaze is believed to have started shortly before 6 p.m. yesterday in a car parked in a basement-level garage of a two-storey Tudor-style home, likely valued at more than $1 million, on Ardmore Rd., near Bathurst St. and Eglinton Ave. W.
The fire quickly spread throughout the house to the second floor where flames burst through a window causing a firefighter to tumble to the ground.
He landed on Capt. Brian Shepherd, knocking him in the face with his helmet.
Shepherd suffered non-life-threatening facial injuries and was taken to Sunnybrook hospital.
Shortly afterward, two firefighters suffered minor burns to the backs of their necks when sparks and burning embers rained onto them.
They were treated at the scene for second-degree burns by paramedics and taken to hospital for examination.
The first of more than 60 firefighters to arrive discovered that the hydrant nearest to the house wasn't working and attached the main hose to a hydrant two doors west of the home and to another hydrant half a block south, said Toronto Fire Chief Bob Head.
"It had to hamper our attack," he said.
Neighbours claim they told the city about a month ago that the hydrant wasn't working.
The family, a couple and their daughter, had moved into the house three weeks ago.
The three were evacuated from the home and were not injured.
The blaze was under control by around 7 p.m..