Pour water for those 5 lats
During the period between the First and Second World Wars, Jūrmala Volunteer Firemen often approached local residents and resort guests with donation lists in order to collect some money for the purchase of firefighting equipment.
In the fall of 1935, the Bulduri firefighters went with such a list to a prominent public employee who owned houses both in Riga and Bulduri.
There was a long discussion until the landlord refused that he didn't have the money for such things, not even 5 lats, which was exactly what was missing for the purchase of the new pump. Not even a week passed when the stingy man residential building caught fire on a stormy autumn night.
The Bulduri fire brigade arrived first and started extinguishing. Several firefighters remembered the unsuccessful negotiation for 5 lats.
When V.Legzdiņš, the senior head of extinguishing works, arrived with his team, the firemen reminded him of that case. Legzdins, after thinking for a moment, said: "Boys!" Then pour water for these 5 lats as well, but thoroughly, thoroughly!
Therefore, the firefighters did not so much put out the fire, but thoroughly flooded the house with water.
(From the memories of Helmūts Legzdiņš in Jūrmala, published in the newspaper "Ugunsdzesejs" 1993 No. 7/8)