Temple decommissions Fire Station 2 after Stachybotrys found; firefighters moved to Station 1, city plans temporary housing and $1.1M renovation

City officials announced July 11 that Fire Station 2, on the south edge of Wilson Park on East Avenue H, was taken out of service as a living facility after air and surface testing detected Stachybotrys mold in living quarters. Firefighters currently based at Station 2 have been temporarily reassigned to Station 1; their fire engines continue to operate from Station 2’s apparatus bays.

The City’s presenter said the mold problem was first raised in November 2022 and that staff and contractors have carried out multiple remediation steps since then, including replacement of HVAC equipment and removal of contaminated drywall. She said a targeted test on June 23 identified Stachybotrys, and city staff moved personnel out “as soon as we got those results.”

The city described the contamination as airborne and inside wall cavities rather than obvious surface growth visible on entry. “Mold is fungus…you just wanna control it,” the presenter said, adding that acceptable testing results should show outdoor spore levels higher than indoor levels. Staff said follow‑up testing showed the organism had spread from…