In an extraordinary act of resourcefulness, a California fire chief saved two houses from destruction during the fierce Eaton Fire by using milk and beer as firefighting agents, after discovering the local water supply was unavailable.
Brian Fennessy, 65, and the Orange County Fire Authority Chief, found himself in Altadena, where his childhood memories coexist with the current devastation. With no water pressure in the fire hoses, he resorted to unconventional methods. “I thought I’ll check the refrigerator and all that was in there was some milk and a couple beers,” Fennessy recounted.
He used these beverages to cool down the melting gas meter of one of the homes, preventing a potential explosion. “I went back out and kind of ran back there and cooled it off and pulled it back a little bit. It wasn’t completely out, so I wasn’t sure if it was going to rekindle, but it was all I could do,” he added.
This heroic action preserved the only two homes left standing on an otherwise obliterated block. Fennessy’s actions underscore the unpredictable nature of the ongoing wildfires in Southern California, which have been exacerbated by dry conditions and strong winds.
According to the NY Post:
Wildfires continue to rage in and around LA since the Palisades Fire was first reported on Jan. 7.
Dangerous Santa Ana winds have worsened fire conditions in Southern California since Wednesday.
More than 40,000 acres have been burned, destroying over 12,300 structures and forcing thousands of people to evacuate.
The Palisades Fire, the most destructive of the blazes that annihilated the star-studded coastal community of Pacific Palisades last week, was 27% contained, while the Eaton Fire burning outside Pasadena, Calif., was 55% contained as of early Friday morning, according to Cal Fire.
The Eaton Fire, one of several devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area, has consumed over 14,000 acres and led to significant loss of property. The use of milk and beer by Fennessy highlights not only the dire circumstances faced by firefighters but also their ingenuity in such crises.
Fennessy, who grew up in the now-transformed streets of Altadena, expressed a sobering view on the future of firefighting in urban environments.
“I think this is our new reality,” he said. “This house-to-house, these urban conflagrations, we’re going to start seeing them more and more.”
His actions have been widely shared across social media and news outlets, with posts on X (formerly Twitter) celebrating his quick thinking and bravery in the face of an overwhelming firestorm.
When the fire trucks can't make it, you raid the fridge. Orange County Fire Chief Brian Fennessy saved two homes from the Eaton Fire armed with milk and beer pic.twitter.com/ESboIG8GwQ
— RT (@RT_com) January 17, 2025
This incident adds a unique chapter to the ongoing narrative of California’s battle against wildfires, where traditional methods sometimes give way to improvisation in the fight to save lives and property.
Article generated from legacy media reports.
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