CHICKEN BUCKETS: IT WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN! NO FIRE HYDRANT WITHIN 1840 FT, HOUSE BURNS TO THE GROUND!

Sunday, February 27, 2011

IT WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN! NO FIRE HYDRANT WITHIN 1840 FT, HOUSE BURNS TO THE GROUND!

HARLINGEN FIRE TRUCK CREW REFILLING WITH WATER FROM THE ONLY FIRE HYDRANT LOCATED IN THIS AREA THAT WAS ANNEXED IN NOVEMBER 2008.

HARLINGEN FIREFIGHTERS REFILL FIRE TRUCK TO TAKE WATER BACK TO SCENE OF FIRE .35 MILES AWAY AT 21716 BECKHAM ROAD!

PHOTO: ON THE CORNER OF BECKHAM ROAD AND QUEEN SAGO ROAD STANDS THE NEAREST FIRE HYDRANT AT LEAST 1840+FEET AWAY FROM THE RETTENHABER RESIDENCE AT 21716 BECKHAM ROAD THAT BURNED TO THE GROUND EARLY SUNDAY MORNING FEBRUARY 27TH! THIS ONE FIRE HYDRANT SERVES OVER 256 MOBILE HOMES IN THE PALM VISTA ESTATES PARK BETWEEN ALTAS PALMAS ROAD AND BECKHAM ROAD AND ANOTHER 15 RANCH HOMES NORTH OF THE PARK (RETTENHABER WAS ONE OF THESE). THE HARLINGEN WATER DEPARTMENT STATES THAT THE CITY OF HARLINGEN IS IN VIOLATION OF THE CITY STATUTES BY NOT PROVIDING ENOUGH FIRE HYDRANTS TO THE NORTH WEST AREA THAT WAS ANNEXED IN NOVEMBER 2008. IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A MAJOR FIRE HAPPENED. THAT TIME WAS TODAY FEBRUARY 27, 2011. HARLINGEN FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL STILL ON THE SCENE AS OF 2:15PM TODAY, REFUSED TO ALLOW THIS REPORTER FROM CHICKEN BUCKETS TO TAKE PHOTOS OF THE RETTENHABER HOME WHICH WAS A TOTAL LOSS. EVEN THOUGH I WAS STANDING ON PUBLIC PROPERTY (BECKHAM RD) THE FIREMAN REFUSED TO ALLOW ME TO TAKE A PICTURE. CURRENTLY, PETER RETTENHABER IS OVERSEAS ON BUSINESS AND DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT THE HOME FIRE. MRS. RETTENHABER WAS IN ROUTE FROM THE ISLAND AFTER FINDING OUT ABOUT THE FIRE. OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE RETTENHABER FAMILY IN THEIR TIME OF LOSS.