SCRANTON -- The city of Scranton wants to make sure that a neighborhood has fire coverage even though a firehouse remains closed.
The facility is closed while it is being tested for mold.
The hum of a running fire engine and the rush of water from a hydrant are sounds neighborhoods on part of East Mountain in Scranton are used to hearing. Firefighters often run routine hose tests like this at the Engine 10 Station, but this time they're doing it for a special reason.
The fire chief closed Engine 10 last week over fears that mold was growing in the building. It will remain closed at least until mold test results come back later this week.
"If there was a need for anything it was right here, so it's definitely hard losing that comfort," said Amanda Holyk.
Neighbors like Holyk say it's also unsettling not knowing what those test results will say, how long their neighborhood station will be closed, or if it will ever reopen.
"I think it's just finding the resources and making sure it's not forgotten about after. Here's this issue now and then some time goes by and some people forget about it. Just keeping it an issue and making sure the city does everything it can to keep everything that we have alive, especially something as important as the firehouse and things like that."
People who live here on East Mountain say since late last week, they have seen fire trucks and engines driving around their neighborhoods.
"They've been here pretty regularly," said Marie Schumacher.
The fire department has decided while Engine 10 is out of service they will do roving patrols on East Mountain and run tests like the hose test from outside the station.
Neighbor Marie Schumacher thinks the potential mold is a sign that Engine 10, which has been closed before because of budget restrictions, should move elsewhere.
"If they were down on Meadow Avenue, they could go up this side or go up that side and they could also go to the Hill Section or down to South Side. So I think that would be a better location, although we love having them here."
