Columbia firefighters move back into Station 2 after cleaning for mold

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Professional Firefighters Union and the Columbia Fire Department confirmed firefighters moved back into Fire Station 2 on Monday.

Firefighters were moved out of the station on West Worley and Fire Station 6 on Chapel Hill Road after ABC 17 alerted Columbia Fire leadership to possible mold in those stations thanks to an anonymous tip. A report from Nova Group revealed both stations had surface mold, but no hazardous mold was found.

According to a news release from the Columbia Fire Department, this work was done by ARSI, an environmental and demolition contractor:

• Cleaned mold spot beneath a louver in a restroom with a HEPA vacuum and application of a quaternary ammonium disinfectant
• Cleaned mold spot beneath a louver with a HEPA vacuum, applied quaternary ammonium disinfectant, cleaned dirt, debris, and spiderwebs on various surfaces in the laundry room
• Cleaned kitchen ceiling and return air duct in the dining area
• General cleaning of all louvers throughout the building
• Repaired damaged plaster on the living room/dining area wall and painted the wall to match adjacent areas
• Applied a coat of mold-inhibiting paint/sealer to two spots of mold

"The City of Columbia and the Columbia Fire Department are grateful for the expedient response and thorough work performed by ARSI to enable our staff to once again provide fire protection and related emergency services to our citizen customers from this strategically important location," said Fire Chief Clayton Farr, Jr.

Nova Group noted uncleanliness as a possible reason for the mold. Following the reports, the stations were professionally cleaned. The initial estimated cost for cleaning was no more than $24,000; that's $8,000 for Station 2 and $16,000 for Station 6. Station 2 was cleaned first because it had less to clean.

"I don't think there can be a realistic expectation that our firefighters are in cleaning HVAC docks and getting, you know, up in attic spaces and cleaning up in those spaces," said Zack Privette, Columbia Professional Firefighters Union president. "I think that the fire department and the fire chief making this about a cleanliness issue is simply downplaying the realistic issue, that there is mold growing in the stations."

In emails obtained by ABC 17 News, fire crews asked the administration to look at the ducts at Columbia Fire Station 2 after they suspected there was black mold present. The original email was sent on Oct. 1 with follow-up emails on Oct. 5 and 11.

There is not currently a known timeline for firefighters to return to Station 6.

Columbia Fire Department spokesperson Jeffery Heidenreich said a plan is in the works to prevent this from happening again.

When asked whose responsibility it is to keep stations clean, Heidenreich said, "It starts with the the crews and the officers that are at the stations. And then at the end of the day as a fire department we're responsible."