sville Fire Dept. Battles Mold

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sville Fire Dept. Battles Mold

Oct 3, 2006 06:32 PM EDT

WTVF - Nashville,TN

http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=5492933

A local fire department has a problem that literally stinks.

A moldy building is causing big problems for the sville Fire

Department.

The city's safety coordinator said that employees should move out of

the fire department's administrative building.

" It started with complaints about the odor, the musty smell, "

sville Safety Coordinator Bronson Gibb said.

The mold on the ceiling is just the most obvious sign of problems.

The smell is another. Gibb has inspected the building inside and out.

" We have water coming out of the downspouts and standing along the

foundation of the building and not wanting to drain away from the

building, " Gibb said.

sville Fire Chief has called in an

environmental expert and has stopped long training classes in the

building.

" This building is a 30-some-odd year old building that was

constructed over a weekend by a church group, " said.

The temporary offices cost $6,000 and will likely be in the parking

lot of the main building.

" I don't want my people to be totally unsafe. We try to do a good

job about being safe, " said.

Gibb has already recommended that employees no longer work in the

building. He expects the environmental expert will recommend the

same thing.

" Some folks had problems with respiratory, some coughs and things

like that. It was a good safe recommendation that we get them out of

that environment, "

Employees probably won't be there much longer. It's likely the

building won't either. It may cost more to clean it up than its

worth.

The portable offices will only be used if the environmental expert

agrees there's a problem.

One sville fire station has also reported problems with mold.

It appears that mold is growing around some of the vents at Fire

Station 9.

This fire station is less than three years old. It can be found in

both restrooms.

Samples of the mold have been sent off for testing. There was no

word on the type of mold, or if it might cause illness.