Firefighters trying to battle a two-alarm blaze in a high-rise apartment building on the East Side early Tuesday morning found their efforts hampered by rush-hour traffic. Firefighting efforts were “somewhat hampered” by motorists who refused to stop and ran over fire hoses pumping water from hydrants on the north side of Broad Street to the fire scene on the south side, Martin said. “We would like to remind everyone that it is illegal to drive your vehicle through an emergency scene or over a firehose,” he said. When they arrived at the scene, Martin says firefighters observed fire extending from a third floor window on the north side of the structure. The fire was upgraded to a second alarm almost immediately because of the potential for loss of life in the apartment building.