Fire Equipment of the Industrial Era (Zaragoza Fire Museum)

Under the vaulted galleries of the courtyard of the Museum of Firefighting in Zaragoza, firefighting equipment from the late 19th and early 20th centuries is displayed. The era of industrialization also influenced firefighting equipment, and although the Geron pump remained the foundation, firefighting devices became more complex and efficient.

A lightweight, portable pump equipped with a fire hose, a precursor to modern-day lance guns. For hard-to-reach areas, water could be supplied through a canvas hose included with the pump. The pump was powered by two people and had a capacity of up to 50 liters per minute.

During firefighting, these pumps were placed near a body of water and filled with water using buckets.

Water was poured into the tank through wicker grates to avoid clogging. Four people pumped the yoke, delivering up to 160 liters of water per minute.

A large horse-drawn pump manufactured in 1835 by Arrieta in Pamplona. 8 people were able to produce up to 250 liters of water per minute.

This pump is equipped with a distribution device that allows you to attach two hoses and a large drum for these hoses.

In the late 19th century, muscle power was replaced by steam power. A small steam engine replaced several hand-operated pumps.

When a call came in, the firebox of the steam boiler was lit in the fire station, and by the time the pump arrived at the fire, it was ready to go. This steam pump was manufactured in 1888 by the London firm Merryweather and served until 1912.

A retractable mobile staircase from the late 19th century. Thanks to its supports, the structure was very stable and allowed access to the third or fourth floor.

Bicycles have long been one of the means of transportation for firefighters. As you can see in the photo, this mode of transportation was relevant until the mid-twentieth century.

Bicycles were used not only for transportation - there were real four-wheeled "fire trucks" with pedal drive. This device had a large water tank, as well as two hand-held fire extinguishers.

The mobile foam extinguishing unit was used as a primary means of extinguishing small fires in factories, gas stations, and other high-risk facilities.