A FIRE that destroyed two caravans could have been avoided if the fire hydrants had been working properly, residents claim.

Firefighters were called to Riverside Caravan Park in Queensferry at about 3am on Monday to reports of a blaze which had engulfed two caravans.

One man, believed to be Martin McDonagh, was taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Video by Geoff Abbott

Alfie Price, 33, who has lived on the site for about 11 years, believed the fire could have been avoided if the fire hydrants were working, as the blaze was spotted early.

Person taken to hospital after caravan fire in Queensferry

He said: “I was scared. The fire hydrant worked for all of five minutes and then the water stopped. If it hadn’t stopped we could have saved the place.

“It started off as smoke and then all of a sudden it went up in flames. It was unbelievable.

“I tried to fight the fire myself but there was no way of fighting it. The flames were massive.

“The guy lost all of his belongings there, like his photos. It was like a museum to his family and now he’s lost everything.

A spokesman for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters received a call at 2.52am on Monday and three appliances were sent to the blaze, two from Deeside and one from Buckley.

Two hose reel jets and two apparatus were used to fight the fire and the caravan has been damaged beyond repair.

A resident, who does not want to named, said: “The gas bottles there had exploded. We heard two explosions.

“My children were terrified, they were up all night and my three-year-old has spent the night throwing up.

“If that water would have been going last night we would’ve saved that caravan. It’s getting worse around here.”

The site, owned by Flintshire Council, is best known as the home of Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty.

Josie McDonagh has lived at the site for about 20 years and she said the fire hydrants had not worked for years.

She said: “They used to work but one day they just stopped working.

“The first fire brigade ran out of water, so the others had to come.

“The fire hydrants are needed. If they had been working, it would have been dealt with.”

She added: “It’s lovely to live here. We have our ups and downs but everywhere has their ups and downs.

“Everyone just keeps their area clean and we do have good facilities.”

The Leader has approached Flintshire Council for a comment.