Frozen fire hydrant slows firefighters at Catoosa house fire

CATOOSA, Okla. - A frozen fire hydrant forced firefighters to rethink their strategy at a Catoosa house fire Wednesday morning.

Firefighters responded around 7 a.m. to the home on east Archer near Admiral and Garnett.

Officials tell 2NEWS the nearest fire hydrant was frozen, so the first firefighters on the scene were forced to wait for another one so firefighters would have enough hose to reach another hydrant.

A neighbor tells 2NEWS the frozen hydrant was reported this summer for leaking but was never checked or serviced.

Bob Bledsoe, spokesperson for the City of Tulsa water department, said the department hasn't received any calls in the area about any leaking or broken hydrant.

Bledsoe said the Mayor's Action Line has received 51 calls in 2012 about fire hydrants needing maintenance, whether leaking or broken, and none were near this location.

The Tulsa Red Cross is helping the family with shelter, food, clothing, shoes and coats.