Driver Hits West LA Fire Hydrant, Causes 50 Foot Geyser at Dawn on Pico and Veteran Avenue

As dawn broke over West Los Angeles, early risers were treated to a rare sight: an enormous geyser of water.

An inattentive driver, possibly one who fell asleep in the early morning hours of Thursday, hit a fireplug on Pico Blvd near Veteran Avenue in West LA. Our photographer caught the 50 foot geyser that resulted. It filled the early morning sky in front of the Mattress Town Mattress store.

After about 45 minutes, crews from the Department of Water and Power had the water flow under control.

A fire hydrant, also called fireplug, is a connection point by which firefighters can tap into a water supply. It is a component of active fire protection.

In most jurisdictions it is illegal to park a car within a certain distance of a fire hydrant. In North America the distances are commonly 10 to 15 feet, often indicated by yellow or red paint on the curb. The rationale behind these laws is that hydrants need to be visible and accessible in an emergency.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_hydrant