An Arlington resident received a citation late last month after driving their SUV over a fire hose that firefighters were using to put out a blaze.
The Arlington County Fire Department posted photos of the vehicle straddling a hose at the intersection of 15th Street N. and N. Randolph Street on March 26.
“This reckless action put us at significant risk, as it could have caused the hose to burst and leave us without water,” the department wrote on X. “Please, if you encounter a hose line on the road, exercise patience.”
During a recent fire, a vehicle dangerously ran over one of our charged hose lines. This reckless action put us at significant risk, as it could have caused the hose to burst and leave us without water. Please, if you encounter a hose line on the road, exercise patience. pic.twitter.com/SWM7Q2Xmsg
— Arlington Fire & EMS (@ArlingtonVaFD) April 7, 2025
The 58-year-old driver received a citation for driving over a fire hose, which is a specific offense in the Virginia code, an Arlington County Police Department spokesperson told ARLnow.
“That sort of action could have caused the hose to be damaged and burst, putting our member in a very unsafe situation,” ACFD Capt. Jamie Jill told ARLnow. “There have been incidents across the country where cars running over hoses have indeed caused them to rupture and resulted in firefighter injuries.”
He added that “the hose will need to be tested to assess for damage.”
“Unfortunately, cars bypassing cones and putting us and them in unsafe situations happen frequently,” Jill said.
The incident occurred as firefighters were responding to a shed fire behind a house near Washington-Liberty High School. The blaze, which destroyed the shed and charred surrounding vegetation, prompted a large emergency response and shut down some roads. It was one of two significant fires in Arlington that day, amid a Red Flag Warning.
