LaGrange fire uses town's water, boil order issued

NOW: LaGrange fire uses town’s water, boil order issued
NEXT:

“It just became a process of…the numbers got to us,” said Mark Eagleson, Lagrange Town Manager.

After a massive fire broke out in the small downtown area of LaGrange Tuesday morning fire crews used so much of their own water…

“It was using everything it was producing and tapping the reserve and at some point we ran through the reserve,” said Eagleson.

They had to turn to other departments from neighboring counties to bring additional tanks with a million more gallons being shuttled in.

“We can produce around 700 gallons a minute at peak capacity and at one point they had three pumpers and three aerial trucks pumping water,” said Eagleson.

That’s what led to the low pressure and that boil order.

“We have to err on the side of caution, said Eagleson.

“Had no idea something would go capluey like this catastrophic thing downtown,” said John Leu, Superintendent of LaGrange Water Works.

Leu says it was the only option if this overnight fire was to be drowned out and that he and his town are fortunate in the first place for the help of neighboring fire departments.

“We went ahead and went boil order, got down that far. We were able to buy us the best opportunity to get things take care of. You know as soon as they went totally to the alternative sources, our pressure was only low for maybe fifteen/twenty minutes. But, it still triggers a boil order an so that’s why we have that and we’ll know Friday afternoon as to whether we’re good to go or not,” said Leu.

Town hall officials say LaGrange residents should make sure to boil their water if they plan on cooking, brushing teeth or drinking it, otherwise town officials say you should be ok to shower, wash clothes and wash hands all while using soap.

Share this article: