Disney firefighters say missing hydrants delayed putting out Magic Kingdom parking lot fire

May 16--A lime-green Dodge Charger was on fire, and the blaze was spreading to other vehicles in the Magic Kingdom parking lot as concerned passers-by called 911 on March 16.

But when Reedy Creek firefighters arrived, the nearest fire hydrant, once located within 500 feet, was gone -- even as the dispatcher insisted it was there, said Tim Stromsnes, president of the Reedy Creek Firefighters Association.

The hydrants were removed when the Walt Disney World Speedway closed in 2015 after a driving instructor's death. However, the hydrants still appeared on the dispatcher's map, Stromsnes said Wednesday.

The closest hydrant was about 2,000 feet away, but the firefighters' hoses only reached half that far. And a 1,500-gallon tanker truck wasn't available, having just been sent back to the manufacturer for repairs, Stromsnes said.

"It was a perfect storm," Stromsnes said for the Reedy Creek firefighters, whose job is to respond to emergencies at the Disney theme parks and resorts.

No one was injured, but "four cars [were] fully involved with four others exposed," a Reedy Creek incident report said.

"From the beginning if there were hydrants, it would have cut the damage down to a minimum," Stromsnes said.

Audio of the response to the fire highlighted the confusion.

"I came in the side gate there off Floridian Way, and I have yet to see a fire hydrant," an emergency responder said, according to the audio the Orlando Sentinel received after a public records request.

"I need a hydrant. I need you to find a hydrant," a dispatcher said about a minute later in a concerned voice. "Look around, and I'll advise after."

Orange County firefighters later arrived to extinguish the blaze, the incident report said.

The removal of the fire hydrants did not violate Reedy Creek government's building code because parking lots are not required to have a hydrant if there is no structure, said John Classe, Reedy Creek district administrator. A Disney spokeswoman said Reedy Creek issued a permit for the removal of the hydrants.

Reedy Creek is the state-created Disney government that oversees the resort's roads, emergency services and other infrastructure.

"Common sense tells you there should have been hydrants in the parking lot," Stromsnes countered.

The spokeswoman said efforts are under way to make sure firefighters have updated information on the most updated hydrant locations.

Disney encouraged the people whose cars were damaged to file insurance claims, the spokeswoman said. Disney also provided "alternative transportation" to the owners, but she wouldn't elaborate on exactly what was done.

Got a news tip? [email protected] or 407-420-5470; Twitter, @GabrielleRusson

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