Firefighters battling a deadly Fordham blaze early Tuesday morning were slowed down by a car blocking a fire hydrant. In posts to X by FDNY officials and in press conferences, the fire department said that parking at a hydrant puts New Yorkers in danger. The FDNY says it’s not the first time this has happened. The NYPD says it issued over 638,000 summonses for blocked hydrants in 2024 alone. In the 46th Precinct alone, there were 19,449 - an increase of 7% from 2023. A car with a boot on it was in front of the hydrant across the street from a Buddhist temple that caught fire on Anthony Avenue early Tuesday morning. News 12 spoke to a woman who claimed to be the owner of the car but declined to share her name. The woman told News 12 cameras that she was prepared to remove the boot the day of the fire but entered the code to unlock the boot incorrectly too many times. “I don't feel responsible. I didn't start the fire, and they put the hose over the car, so they did what they had to do. It's not my fault, but I can take responsibility for parking at a hydrant,” she said. The woman also said that finding parking in the neighborhood is difficult and after looking for three to four hours at a time, she feels left with no other choice but to park at a hydrant. In NYC, parking within 15 feet of either side of a hydrant can get you fined for around $115 and even get your car towed.