Lexington Co. Fire Services Fighting Mold-Spores In Living Quarters

Firefighters in Lexington County are having to live in temporary housing arrangements because their quarters at the station might be toxic to their health.

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Columbia, S.C. (WOLO)– A portion of two fire stations in Lexington County are closed, but officials say it’s not going to be affecting their response times at all.

“The fire department probably needs to monitor their humidity,” Joe Dawson said, operations manager for Ahold of Mold Environmental. 

Lexington County Fire Stations in Gilbert and in Fairview closed their living quarters as a result of elevated mold-spore count levels. Fire service personnel reported condensation on the ceiling tiles and light fixtures, which led them to perform an air quality test.

“Our biggest tell when we’re looking for mold is condensation. That’s what we’re looking for,” Dawson said. 

Experts say it’s hard to tell how long it will take to remove the mold but a Lexington County spokesperson said they are hoping it will only take a couple of weeks. Mold remediation consultants say having mold isn’t uncommon but households should look every four to six weeks for mold growth. Especially in July with all of the humidity.

“Every house dwelling, everywhere you go is going to have mold to some extent. Which is what people fail to realize. It just depends on what type of mold you’re dealing with, whether it’s toxic or not, as well as the spore count which is how elevated it is compared to the outside level,” Brandon Castle said, the office manager for Mold Test USA. 

Lexington County says they closed the living quarters out of safety concerns for their first responder’s health. Mold can cause many health issues, and even if it’s non-toxic, you might be allergic to it.

“Most common symptoms tend to be upper respiratory problems, asthma, skin or eye irritation, headache or fatigue,” Castle said. 

Lexington Fire Services says no fire personnel has come forward with any illness relating to the closures.