Hyde Park house gutted while firefighters hunt for hydrant Spotlight on faulty fire hydrants and shortage of fire engines in Joburg Firefighters at the scene of a house fire in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. Image: Suburban Control Centre/Facebook A fire in the upmarket Johannesburg suburb of Hyde Park that gutted a home has shone a spotlight on faulty fire hydrants and the shortage of fire engines in the city. The house was severely damaged last week while the city’s fire department struggled to find a nearby hydrant with enough pressure to fill its fire engine tank. The Sandton fire station was called for assistance but it did not have a fire engine. One stationed in Alexandra responded to the emergency.