Good Question: Why does the fire department respond to calls for burst pipes?

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Some people are still cleaning up water damage from that deep freeze a few weeks ago.

For today’s Good Question, Andy asks, why does the fire department respond to calls for burst pipes? Aren’t property owners responsible for their own plumbing?

While the owners of a property might be responsible for the repairs, firefighters can help them try to limit that damage.

Battalion Chief Jessica Bowman told us the best way to limit the damage is by shutting off the water. Some people need help with this task and firefighters can often respond faster than other types of help.

Also, if a pipe bursts in a commercial building or an apartment, it can impact a lot of people.

Firefighters can also make sure there aren’t any other safety issues like compromised structural integrity of the building or electrical hazards. Finally, they can put people in touch with other resources, like the Red Cross, or KU if there’s an electrical issue.

If you have a Good Question you’d like us to try to answer, send it to goodquestion@wkyt.com.

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