GENEVA, Fla. -- Firefighters at Seminole County Fire Station 42 in Geneva have had to spend several days working outside their fire station as crews worked to clean up mold and make sure the air quality of their building was at a safe level.
- Crews work to clean up mold at fire station
- Mold formed after roof leaks years ago
The firefighter have eaten in their fire truck bay and slept in trailers outside.
President of Seminole County Professional Firefighters Jon DiVita shared with Spectrum News 13 pictures of mold inside the fire station.
The pictures show what appears to be black mold on drywall in the building’s kitchen.
Seminole County officials say roof leaks -- that were fixed two years ago -- left behind moisture that allowed the mold to grow into the drywall. They say when the county worked to make renovations to the kitchen this summer, the mold was discovered behind cabinets.
DiVita says the mold is part of a bigger problem. He says there are facility issues at other fire stations across the county, and that there have been plumbing issues at another fire station in Longwood.
“Our firefighters in multiple fire stations have been living in conditions we believe are unacceptable,” said DiVita. “We are just asking to work and live in a clean and sanitary environment.”
A spokesperson for Seminole County says the county has responded quickly to any issues and set aside an extra $200,000 for renovation projects at fire stations across the county.
Air-quality tests came back on Tuesday afternoon showing it’s safe for firefighters to go back into the building, but it could take some time for the firefighters to move everything back in.