YOBS who stole vital equipment from a fire engine as crews tackled a house blaze are putting lives at risk.
Tools used to access fire hydrants were snatched from the rear of an engine as officers fought to bring a fire under control in Pennywell.
Today fire chiefs and police condemned the theft and calls were made for the return of the equipment.
Crews f
rom North Moor fire station were called to Penzance Road after youths set fire to an empty property. But, as they tried to put out the fire, their engine was raided and the tools taken.
Keith Trotter, group manager at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We carry 1,818 litres of water on the appliances with us. That gives us 10 to 12 minutes of high pressure firefighting with the hoses.
"If we need to supplement the supply by tapping into hydrants then we have special pipes, keys and bars to access them.
"If an individual pinches this equipment and we can't tap into the mains we would not be able to get the water supply needed.
"Taking any piece of equipment from a fire engine could be seen as a risk to life and prevents us from functioning properly."
The service has vowed to prosecute anyone caught causing damage to firefighting equipment after the theft at 9.30pm on Tuesday.
A spokeswoman for Northumbria Police added: "Youths had set fire to a vacant house and when the fire service attended a piece of equipment from the rear of the tender was stolen.
"The theft obviously affects the capability of the capability of the fire engine and we would like to hear from anyone in the area at the time of the theft."
Mr Trotter added: "We are a service which is here to help people, to save lives."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police, tel: 454 7555 ext 66232 or 66226.
