San Francisco to honor 3 fire hydrants for saving city from 1906 earthquake fire

Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-25 15:15:59|Editor: xuxin
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SAN FRANCISCO, June 24 (Xinhua) -- San Francisco officials plan to honor three fire hydrants with plaques for saving the city from flames of a devastating earthquake that destroyed most of the city in 1906, KCBS Radio reported Monday.

The three hydrants located in the Mission, Hayes Valley and Civic Center neighborhoods in downtown city were three of the 42 fireplugs that had flowing water pumped on April 18, 1906, when there were about 4,500 water stations in total, to prevent the earthquake flames from burning more structures. Most of other hydrants were damaged shortly after the 7.9-magnitude quake rocked the city.

San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who introduced a resolution to honor the hydrants with commemorative plaques, said they were the "ones that were critical to holding the line and keeping the fire from spreading further west."

The city's Board of Supervisors approved the resolution last week to render public recognition to the hydrants -- one nicknamed "The Little Giant" and the other two "The Silver Twins."

"As we get ready for what we know is coming -- we know there's going to be another big one -- taking a little time to remember the last major earthquake is worth doing," Mandelman told the radio.

San Francisco's 36th mayor Joseph Alioto instructed in the 1960s to have the Little Giant painted gold to honor its extraordinary contribution.

In April this year, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission -- the steward of all the hydrants in the city -- agreed to have the other two hydrants painted silver. The fireplugs were then dubbed "the Silver Twins."

The 1906 San Francisco earthquake that struck in the early morning of April 18 killed about 3,000 people and destroyed over 80 percent of the city, making it the most deadly natural disaster in California's history.

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