On New Year's Day, a tragic fire destroyed the home of Ronald Jackson Jr. and Renee Jackson located at 17 Spruce Avenue in Oak Bluffs. The tenants and everyone else inside escaped without harm, but the home that the Jackson’s have worked hard on for the last two years is now only a burned out shell.

Firefighters from Oak Bluffs responded, followed by back up from Edgartown and Tisbury and they were able to contain the blaze from spreading to nearby homes. However, valuable time was lost when firefighters attempted to hook up hoses to a nearby hydrant that turned out to only be a lawn ornament.

“It was a real fire hydrant,” said Deputy Chief Tony R. Ferriera. “We just didn’t know it wasn’t a working hydrant until we tried to hook up to it.”

The hydrant, which was around the corner from the Jackson’s home, was inside a dog pen and the department has been getting a lot of criticism for not knowing it wasn’t a working hydrant.

“Folks are saying we should know every single working hydrant in the town, and I just feel bad for my guys,” said Ferriera. “They’re all volunteers and it’s kind of hurtful in a way. They work really hard and they save the towns millions of dollars every year.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, though there are rumors that it started when a lit candle met with a helium balloon.

David Burke of Burke Public Adjusters Insurance Agency, who is representing the Jacksons, said the fire was a real tragedy. “This is only a two year old, beautiful house,” he said. “The owners put everything into it. There was master carpentry work in every room.”

As to the fact that the firefighters tried to use a defunct hydrant, Burke said, “You know, when you’ve got a fire like this one, and the houses are so close together like they are here in this neighborhood, your adrenaline is just going and I’m sure you’re just doing whatever you can to put that fire out.”

Ferriera said that the fire chief is in contact with the water department, which owns all of the town’s hydrants, to find out what the rules and regulations are around owning a fake hydrant.

As for the critics, Ferriera didn’t want to say much more. “Sometimes the less said is better. My guys worked really hard. It was a tough one, but no one got hurt and we’ll do it again tomorrow if we have to.”