The toxic mold problem at Springfield Fire Station #1 is far from being resolved.
 
We were the first to tell you two weeks ago about the abatement work.  Now a firefighter speaks out about the personal problems he and other co-workers have endured.
 
Firefighter Bart McCool is worried the toxic mold has caused some serious health problems.
 
"I've experienced dermatitis which is inflammation of the skin.  We had a young guy here for five years that died last year from cancer and so it does make you go back and think. 
 
Whenever he got chemotherapy and treatment, where did they put him?  They put him back here when his immune system was already demolished," says McCool.
 
McCool wants all the siding taken off the building because he believes it's all rotted, attributing to the mold problem.  Roseburg architect Paul Bentley made that recommendation back in 2000, after completing a study on all five fire stations.
 
The city recently hired its own inspector, Carl Sherwood, who says the siding is fine and can last up to 20 more years. 
 
"I don't know the context of the 2000 study," says Springfield Public Works maintenance manager Edward Black.  "Clearly there is a difference and we haven't come to an absolute conclusion yet on the siding.  There is this conflict we need to resolve, but we have to be careful what we do with public money.  If it's not something that needs to be repaired, we're not going to replace it."
 
Springfield Fire Chief Dennis Murphy says for right now they're going to keep the firefighters safely housed in trailers behind the building and not ask them to reoccupy the station until it is safe.
 
Firefighters say they only want one thing.
 
"We just want a healthy place to work and that is the basis of our problem.  Is the city leaving no stone unturned to ensure that's the case?  We don't think they are," says McCool.
 
The local company Atez is removing the mold and should be done in about two weeks.  Then the air will be re-tested before the firefighters move back in.
 
Mold is linked to many respiratory and auto immune diseases, but there is no solid agreement in the medical community on whether mold can cause cancer.
 

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Pure Air Control Services, Inc.

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