The hole was caused by a collapsed sewer line and appeared as the fire engine pulled away, he said.
Russell Ayscue, captain of logistics, said firefighters drained 750 gallons of water — about 6,000 pounds worth — into a storm drain to remove some weight from the back. A wrecker pulled the truck out at about 2:30 p.m.
<div class="article-summary">When they're trying to get to an emergency, you'll typically see the flashing lights on a speeding fire truck. But, in the neighborhoods of South Tampa, often times you'll see brake lights as the truck tries to slowly squeeze between cars parked across from each other.</div> <div class="annotation">"One of us might have to get out and direct my driver, and it's a very slow process to get through just one block," says Tampa Fire-Rescue Captain Danielle Spradlin. Some areas are better than others due to wider streets. 10News WTSP went out with TFR as they showed us the worst areas. Turning off of South Howard onto Dekle Avenue, cars lined both sides of the street. What should have taken seconds to get down the block, took the fire truck more than two minutes.<p>"The more time it takes us, the less time we are getting the water on the fire and are able to get in there and do a search and be able to save anyone who might be in there," says Captain Spradlin.</p> <p>Whether it's a medical emergency, a rescue operation or a fire, even just one second matters.</p> <p>When it comes to the safety of a person or the safety of someone's car, they aren't going to hesitate. They'll do what it takes to get to that person as soon as they can even if they have to damage a car. If that happens, the truck captain will tell the fire chief, who will make sure the person's insurance is contacted.</p> </div> <div class="originalSourceURL"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/parked-cars-slowing-down-fire-trucks/223060802" _rte_href="http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/parked-cars-slowing-down-fire-trucks/223060802">Read More at Wtsp </a></div>