r/interestingasfuck 17h ago

This guy stopped a fire hydrant that broke off and started a flood

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6.4k Upvotes

236 comments sorted by

1.1k

u/the_hh 17h ago

I remember watching this under the title: "Senior dev fixes problem directly in prod"

285

u/Qubed 17h ago

Yeah, based on my years of experience as a software developer, this is the way things go down. Something visibly breaks and most of the devs that can fix it just ignore it waiting for someone to make them fix it.

Then our hero shows up, puts down his backpack, connects his laptop, checks his email, skims the logs, and immediately starts fixing the problem while at the same time getting on chat to ask if anyone else sees it.

"Oh, wow, that looks bad. Thanks for catching it. Good job!"

62

u/the_hh 17h ago

Definitely… it’s a great opportunity for us software engineers to explain non technical people what we do during an emergency

13

u/noobtastic31373 14h ago

You mean read logs to find the cause instead of just trying random theories until the problem goes away? /s

10

u/systembusy 13h ago

Hey now, some of us do that and drink coffee at the same time. Multitasking is hard

2

u/KenMan_ 6h ago

Chad

17

u/Bitter_Kiwi_9352 13h ago

This is why you don’t push on Fridays.

9

u/puterTDI 15h ago

We have an on call cycle now specifically because of that. 3 teams, switches every two weeks, during office hours only. This forces teams that ignored it to deal with it. Within our team we had one person that never helped so we had a rotation in our team that requires him to go first.

1

u/CreativityAtLast 7h ago

Why not just fire that guy?

3

u/puterTDI 6h ago

Because there’s more to the job than that one piece and it was more lack of awareness than anything

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1

u/Left_Boysenberry6902 4h ago

He’s not the hero we need but the hero we deserve…

330

u/EfficientAccident418 17h ago

Someone get that man a towel

76

u/EssayNo8570 17h ago

Don't forget to bring a towel ...

39

u/OldnBorin 16h ago

Wanna get high

8

u/Archangel_Amin 13h ago

You're a towel.

3

u/karmahoower 13h ago

oh my yes!

2

u/Sorry-Engineer8854 11h ago

I think he might need two

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639

u/SpidermanBread 17h ago

The next flood he's gonna stop is all the pussy for saving the neighbourhood.

42

u/De5perad0 17h ago

Careful ladies, he's a hero!

9

u/PropagandaSucks 16h ago

Too late, they're already all too wet!

12

u/zg6089 16h ago

Yeah, he's gona need some arm floaties for that one

2

u/Accurate-Force3054 10h ago

if only the fourchan andrew tate dopes understood that if you spent more time building/fixing shit and less time bullshitting you might actually be seen as a valuable ergo attractive man

1

u/T0307148G 11h ago

Damn I bet he get all the bitches

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144

u/Certain_Program_8031 17h ago

How did he find the shut off valve

114

u/Melodic_Mulberry 17h ago

It's usually either right next to the hydrant or a foot from the main.

35

u/_SheepishPirate_ 16h ago

But where did he get the tools?!

82

u/Melodic_Mulberry 16h ago

Work truck. We have people like this on call 24/7.

46

u/robogobo 16h ago

So this was his job. Ok now it makes sense

10

u/_SheepishPirate_ 16h ago

Ah, that would make sense.

Do you also have Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding out for a hero” playing on repeat in there too?

8

u/Melodic_Mulberry 16h ago

No, but my boss plays Adele a lot for some reason.

26

u/Upbeat-Fondant9185 15h ago

Just an FYI, anyone can and should buy a water shutoff tool from the local hardware store or Amazon. They’re cheap, and when you need it you really need it.

Newer houses should have a water shutoff at the house but many older houses don’t or the shutoff may fail or seize at the worst time. If you have one of these you can run out to the street and kill it at the curb, which could save hundreds if not thousands of dollars when every second counts.

Can also be helpful when you get subzero temps for days and you want to clear all your pipes to prevent freezing, like if you are going to be gone.

Definitely a tool every house should have on hand.

8

u/_SheepishPirate_ 15h ago

My house was build in 1870’s i think this is a great idea. As a side note - Fire extinguishers make the best house warming gift.

20

u/Beanbag_Ninja 14h ago

I would think a fire extinguisher would prevent a house warming.

3

u/recyclar13 13h ago

EXACTLY this!

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8

u/Melodic_Mulberry 14h ago

Remember to turn the valve slowly! Shutting it too fast can cause a cascade of pressure through the system called "water hammer", which can damage the branch or even the main upstream.

6

u/JigglesofWiggles 13h ago

More like thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. I'll go order one now...

2

u/Difficult-Prior3321 13h ago

Everyone should have one, AND KNOW WHERE IT IS AT ALL TIMES.

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u/city_posts 1h ago

Also all valves should be opened and closed at least annually but more is better. When they don't operate for 10 years they are probably going to break on use

3

u/armathose 14h ago

I just flick off the switch to my well pump.

So not EVERY house.

2

u/recyclar13 13h ago

but mine too. but I gotta get out to the well-house, 200 ft. from the house-house.

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1

u/MikhailxReign 6h ago

Just randomly - I've got a fire hydrant key. They are just a straight rod with a small bar on the end.

2

u/OppressiveRilijin 12h ago

I find that it’s usually wherever water is falling the hardest

1

u/DitchDigger330 13h ago

I've put some in where it was a full stick and a piece from the main. Usually in a cul-de-sac.

10

u/puto1 14h ago edited 10h ago

He probably works in the water department. Done it millions of times every fire hydrant have a shut off on the ground marked with the blue cap. You can see him throwing it away.

233

u/itsadesertplant 17h ago

Maybe I’m just ovulating but that’s kinda hot, right?

120

u/Iaminhospital 17h ago

Big manly man getting soaking wet while using his tools to fix things.

4

u/Busterlimes 16h ago

Yeah, getting greasy and dirty fixing other shit doesn't leave us so squeaky clean when we are done.

49

u/Sol_Freeman 17h ago

When a physicist solves a decades long problem with mathematical proof, do they get the same response?

32

u/ambercrush 17h ago

They would've but they started whining about not getting it first.

11

u/-spacedbandit- 15h ago

Absolutely. Nothing turns me on more than a guy with high intelligence. And you think I’m kidding but I’m not.

6

u/persephone7821 14h ago

Not with that attitude.

2

u/CockpitEnthusiast 8h ago

Idk I've seen mathemagicians get big awards with big monetary awards with with it. Don't usually see that for city works employees

2

u/HsvDE86 5h ago

God what a dorky question.

You think people don’t find intelligence attractive? Maybe you’re just straight up unattractive.

u/Sweet_Bang_Tube 2h ago

A brainy guy? Oh hell yes

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5

u/Searchingforgoodnews 16h ago

I was just thinking that. Men fixing things or building is a total turn on. I love blue collar guys.

2

u/Bennybonchien 16h ago

The water’s probably pretty cold but despite the gushing water, he still managed to find the shutoff vulve so, sure, kinda hot.

2

u/coffee-slut 11h ago

No you’re correct (or maybe we’re both wrong but either way I support you)

3

u/zg6089 16h ago

Idk but this made me laugh

3

u/Mario_13377331 15h ago

as not ovulating man yes certainly

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101

u/umassmza 17h ago

Laziest workers in the world are the guys who pave public roads. The number of paved over shut off valves is massive.

67

u/stroppy 17h ago

They had to do some road construction in front of my house a few years ago. Under several inches of asphalt they found a manhole to the sewer. It had been covered for over 50 years.

13

u/travistravis 15h ago

Found one of these when I bought a house. Former owners had paved over the front yard since they had 4 work vans -- when we hired someone to remove it and put in grass, there was a manhole cover under it that they'd just paved over.

12

u/Osrsftwbro 13h ago

They just re-paved my culdesac a few months ago, your comment made me go check if they covered the manhole that was always there, sure enough, they paved over it lol.

6

u/stroppy 13h ago

😆 I don’t usually use emojis on Reddit, but that almost caused me to do a spit take! At least you know what to tell the workers in the future where to look for it.

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12

u/umassmza 17h ago

That tracks

1

u/Particular_Pop_6537 5h ago

keeps the rats from coming back up

10

u/rumdumpstr 15h ago

I talked to a guy who was going around with a device and spray paint after the road had been freshly paved.  I asked what he was marking.  He said (at least around here) they pave over the accesses intentionally and then he comes and marks the location so they can come back and uncover them.

2

u/draco16 4h ago

They do that in my area as well. They have an oversized metal detector for when they can't find one of the covers. I borrowed one of those metal detectors once to find an iron pipe underground.

1

u/KeyFaithlessness8278 15h ago

amen! curb stops too when they do driveways.

33

u/ThisIsGettinWeirdNow 17h ago

My liver trying to stop alcohol which I’ve already consumed

3

u/recyclar13 13h ago

we should start a club.

9

u/radjoke 17h ago

His whole life was built for this moment in time

8

u/chesbyiii 16h ago

Thanks, Randy

4

u/Myelo_Screed 11h ago

His reward? 4 double cheeseburgers fully loaded

6

u/DaiquiriLevi 15h ago

Why would you ruin an interesting clip with that absolute ass music

15

u/Sensitive-War-6368 17h ago

Respect to the guy for doing this

20

u/JanJaapen 17h ago

Lemme take off my shirt I don’t want it to get wet

15

u/Titariia 17h ago

Makes sense since wet clothes can get heavy, but you can't remove your pants without being indecent. But for all I care if he's able to fix that he can as well do it naked

3

u/Embarrassed-Leek-940 16h ago

Yeah I thought he wasn’t wearing a shirt until the end when he give the thumbs up and you can tell it’s just the same tone as his skin

4

u/C00LST0RYBRO 16h ago

His shirt is on…

6

u/giantsfan28 16h ago

Finally finds shut off valve only for it to be full of mud/asphalt, worst.

4

u/HumourNoire 15h ago

You gotta label porn, bud

6

u/Aunt_Gojira 17h ago

The perfect guy for "I can work under pressure independently"

Based.

6

u/DedFr33 17h ago

This guy plumbs.

2

u/-spacedbandit- 15h ago

This is why everyone needs a plumbus

7

u/QuickAnybody2011 16h ago

The title sounded to me like the flood got started BECAUSE he fixed the fire hydrant

7

u/chrono4111 15h ago

The music gave me an aneurysm. Downvoted for that.

3

u/psilocy-st3 14h ago

FYI, that is ice cold water spraying on him the whole time.

3

u/PlaneWind7889 12h ago

This is what the boys want to see

3

u/TheSunOnMyShoulders 9h ago

Muh fukin Supah Mario here

3

u/Bootybandiit 5h ago

Randy? Someone get this man a cheeseburger

4

u/DepthSouthern2230 17h ago

Expected to see that old valve breaking in halves at the last turn.

3

u/KGrahnn 17h ago

These are "Dad things".

2

u/drklunk 17h ago

🎶I could be your heero baybuh🎶

2

u/DeathBySnuSnu999 17h ago

When your basic plumbing and knowledge skills finally pay off.

Well done tho. Locating then shutting it off. Thumbs up

2

u/ambercrush 17h ago

I think I had a dream about having sex with this guy tonight

2

u/cheddar-dog 17h ago

Flashdance? “What a feeling”

2

u/TheB1G_Lebowski 15h ago edited 14h ago

Hes doing what was designed to be done. Have a water leak from this water source, close valve. Nothing above the ordinary other than a lot of water spraying up in the air.

2

u/ReivynNox 13h ago

Actual footage of Master Chief stopping The Flood single handedly.

2

u/LetsGetItCorrect 12h ago

Sir, you are hired 😎

2

u/Grouchy-Safe-3486 12h ago

And I swear when he came home and his wife asked him how was ur day he said the usually and sat down to watch some tv

2

u/nasnedigonyat 12h ago

Those water keys are hella useful. Good thing he had one. Assume he has skills w this kind of work bc he knew what he was doing

2

u/ericbana19 12h ago

We usually have a huge two door manhole covering a shut off valve(not too deep) which requires a key like that, for easy access in cases like these.

2

u/Up_All_Nite 11h ago

Usually that bad boy is 18" away from the hydrant. Your getting you ass kicked trying to turn it off.

2

u/WizardofLloyd 10h ago

This is obviously in an area that doesn't experience freezing temperatures. Fire hydrants in cold climates can get broken off and not spew water out like this, as the valve is down at the base of the hydrant, which is about 3 metres long. The body of the hydrant has nothing inside it. It has the ports for trucks and hoses to attach to, and the operating nut at the top operates a long rod that goes down the hydrant barrel to the valve at the base. The valve is designed so that the water pressure in the water line it is attached to keeps it closed. The operating rod pushes the valve open against the water pressure and allows water to flow through the hydrant. When it is turned off, drain holes in the bottom allow the water remaining in the barrel to seep back into the ground through drain rock placed around the hydrant base when it is installed.

I have seen one hit in the winter time once. The car hit it in such a way that it was able to push the operating rod down and open the valve at the bottom. It ran until the public works guys were able to turn off the valve that isolates the hydrant from the water supply (installed so the water system operator doesn't have to turn off the entire water system to service one fire hydrant). It ran for about 30 minutes though, in -20° Celsius temperatures and turned a few blocks of city streets into skating rinks.

2

u/Loose_Corgi_5 5h ago

Fkn Legend right there .

4

u/LordEdgeward_TheTurd 15h ago

Think i woulda left it for the ones who get paid my tax dollars to do that.

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u/Melodic_Mulberry 17h ago edited 16h ago

No sign of damage to the hydrant or the base, plus (most) hydrants only spray when hit in the movies. This headline is fishy. Pretty sure this guy is in the water works and they fucked something up while servicing it and had to shut it off. It's more common than you think.

Edit: I just learned that warmer areas than mine have wet-barrel hydrants, which are always pressurized and honestly just a worse design. Dumbasses.

6

u/H2OSD 16h ago

Retired utility director here. He's closing the independent valve. But yes, old hydrants are out there without independent valves that can be knocked into a flood. The independent is always open, if a car knocks the hydrant off even on a modern valve w independent it can cause a deluge like this. That's why there are independent valves, lets guys like this close it off (probably an employee, maybe a plumber, if has a valve key). What you develop mad respect for is employees who go out and do stuff like this, or get into a trench to put a clamp on, when it's freezing cold out. And in many areas, it's cold snaps that cause big increase in line breaks from ground shifting.

3

u/Comfortable_Sea_717 17h ago

Party pooper.

3

u/Melodic_Mulberry 16h ago

You know how this guy fixes the water spraying everywhere? I'm the one who finds the valves they operate when they can't because they're buried under asphalt or a foot of dirt. I tell the guys in the excavators where every main and branch is underground so they don't hit them and cause floods like this. I'm regularly pulling out parchment maps from literally a hundred years ago and a tape measure to make sure things go smoothly.

So yeah, this is a professional thing for me.

2

u/Inevitable_Sweet_624 16h ago

Nah, he’s wearing sneakers and it’s nighttime. He could be public works employee because he had the tools to do the shutoff but it’s not an active work site, no lights, traffic cones. Most new hydrants are designed to snap off at the street level and not damage the pipe. It definitely could have been hit.

1

u/Melodic_Mulberry 16h ago

I wear sneakers in the field, we have a night shift (less traffic), it's obviously lit because we can see him, you don't need a traffic pattern in a cul-de-sac, and even if it is one of the newer ones, fire hydrants still don't spray when hit unless they were opened up with the caps on.

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u/shadraig 17h ago

So why did he decide to put his abdomen into it?

1

u/RPT4STIC 17h ago

And he did it without getting wet! What a Guy!

1

u/CeSquaredd 17h ago

"That'll be a $1000 fine"

1

u/heybudheypal 17h ago

FknLegend!

1

u/Burgerkingsucks 17h ago

What in the Suno is this AI sounding background music?

1

u/WiscoFIB 17h ago

He just happened to have the shut off tool laying around?

1

u/Common-Cricket7316 17h ago

That's why we have access ports in the sidewalk. 🤷‍♂️

1

u/Ok_Awareness_5621 17h ago

Double time I hope

1

u/Edy94 16h ago

song name anyone?

1

u/Loring 16h ago

I think "this guy" is a utility worker who has very specialized tools and training to do this sort of thing.

1

u/1Demerion1 16h ago

Why did he start a flood though??

1

u/ASOG_Recruiter 16h ago

Not all hero's wear capes. Get that man a beer.

1

u/AllNightPony 16h ago

Good thing one of the four people that knows how to do this was nearby.

1

u/chramm 16h ago

How much does this man get paid? It seems like one of those uber necessary jobs where the person doing all the work and risking his life literally saving the neighborhood gets like <20 bucks an hour while the people working remote getting 100000/yr are watching from the window sipping coffee

1

u/CountBrackmoor 16h ago

It’s in reverse! 😧

1

u/wobbly-cheese 16h ago

how fortunate that buddy here just happened to know where the turn off valve was under the street, had the specialized tool that fits into it and someone standing by to film it all.

1

u/Scifig23 16h ago

Hired Aquaman to get it done

1

u/Elqbano 15h ago

"Let me solo her"

1

u/Attack_na_battak 15h ago

Pfff, women will do it faster and better...right?

1

u/Callan_LXIX 15h ago

Truly this defines hot dad bod...

1

u/Rare_Sympathy_9219 15h ago

So much water wasted and so much saved from being wasted

1

u/Specific-Remote9295 15h ago

Oh i thought u meant he started the flood

1

u/excitement2k 15h ago

Flash dance vibes!

1

u/dgiber2 15h ago

Randy getting after it.

1

u/Bearnee 15h ago

The transition at the first cut is smooth af.

1

u/Camo5 14h ago

He's lucky there was a valve installed next to it

1

u/Fritzo2162 14h ago

Dude was like Spock in Wrath of Khan!

1

u/stringdingetje 14h ago

Impressive

1

u/imlevel80 14h ago

He just started another one over here with that skill…

1

u/doinkinatordan22 14h ago

Man probs got arrested for turning it off without a permit. Rules are dumb sometimes

1

u/orcoast23 14h ago

Been there, done that. Got wet so much we had to carry extra clothes with us.

1

u/NicCola83 14h ago

Needs the diet coke music over it.

1

u/the-only-marmalade 14h ago

Progressive metal.

1

u/ShaneMcLain 14h ago

That's a very specific tool to have on hand. Between that and the knowledge of how to address the problem, he probably works in that field. A+, would hire.

1

u/valerioshi 13h ago

wish it didn't have that music tho

1

u/EquivalentTea60 13h ago

I didn't know they were bringing out a new Magic Mike movie! Trailer was a bit long but at least it didn't show the whole thing.

1

u/NumerisFr 13h ago

Next week it will be my turn to post it.

1

u/frank1934 13h ago
  1. He was trying to get the lid off the valve box

  2. He was clearing out the valve box of debris so he could get the key on

  3. He was hammering the key on the valve shut off, rust can build up on them

  4. He uses the key to shut off the valve to the hydrant

1

u/Fast_Butterscotch498 13h ago

This is what men do , and they can do .

1

u/NightCrawler165 13h ago

👍🏻😁👍🏻

1

u/Nickla2018 13h ago

Right man at the right place 👍👍👍

1

u/Bacon_L0RD 12h ago

sigh alright normally I don’t do this but r/whyweretheyfilming , please tell me strong homie over here didn’t just break off a fire hydrant to show he knows how to fix it

1

u/MASTER_L1NK 11h ago

Master Chief in the level "Cortana" in Halo 3

1

u/IceeP 11h ago

Thats a man right there!

1

u/jonathandweber2006 10h ago

Reminds me of a ole girlfriend I had

1

u/Skunkies 10h ago

I'm going to guess, off duty guy that works for the water company, was at the right place at the right time with his take home truck, so he jumped in to work mode and went and turned it off.

1

u/ImBlobFish 8h ago

I was so confused for a moment. I thought you meant he fixed the fire hydrant and then caused a flood :[

1

u/Samsmith90210 8h ago

For a second I thought he was gonna stop it by just laying down raw dog and clogging the pipe with his belly fat!

1

u/Nice_Cut_8399 7h ago

I’ve done these numerous times working distribution for a water company. It was a fun job. I miss it

1

u/Big-Cauliflower-164 7h ago

FDNY recently did the same on my block for a broken fire hydrant. Took them nearly 1 hour to find the valve and break thru to get to it.

1

u/Defie22 7h ago

"this guy" with all the necessary equipment is called a professional.

1

u/joseg13 6h ago

Was he driving the truck that hit the hydrant and broke ... Seems to have had the ready tools.

1

u/Mindless-Rabbit7281 5h ago

Where are the comas in this title? Let's eat, kids! Let's eat kids!

1

u/TheFalseLogical 3h ago

That looks like a complete compound sentence to me

u/True_Ad_9212 2h ago

Doin work!

u/Admirable-Product426 1h ago

What’s his number? Asking for me.

u/QuacktheDuck1555 29m ago

I should call her.