VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla — A new mold report is raising questions about conditions inside a Volusia County fire station — after firefighters were forced to evacuate the building and temporarily relocate.
9 Investigates obtained the report, which found elevated moisture, visible mold, and elevated levels of mold in the air inside Fire Station 35 in Lake Helen.
The report also recommends removing portions of walls and ceilings to determine whether additional mold is hidden behind them.
The station is located just feet from the eastbound and westbound entrances to Interstate 4, putting crews in a critical position to respond to emergencies on the highway.
Firefighters have now been moved about four miles away to DeLand while the county works to move them closer to their original station.
Volusia County said it is working on an agreement to use the Lake Helen Civic Center as a temporary home for the crews. The building is less than a mile from Station 35.
After the county confirmed mold inside the station’s living quarters, 9 Investigates saw Volusia County corrections inmates moving furniture into the civic center.
Jeremy Karaginis, president of Volusia County Professional Firefighters Local 3574, says crews were forced to leave after the extent of the problem became clear.
“I guess they found out that this was a little bit more toxic and they couldn’t be around this. So, crews had to be emergency evacuated.”
The county said it first investigated condensation complaints in June. Facility Management opened a bunk room wall and says it did not find mold at that time.
But the county continued investigating. Workers later removed attic insulation and opened walls — and found mold above ceilings and inside several walls.
The new inspection found visible mold on the backside of ceiling drywall in the attic, covering more than 10 square feet.
The report connects the mold to chronic condensation, including problems associated with an old duct system.
That system had already been removed and replaced, and new insulation had been installed.
The report recommends additional investigation and remediation and warns that mold could be present in areas that were not accessible during the inspection.
Karaginis said firefighters have reported health problems at the station for years.
“Exacerbated asthma, respiratory issues.”
The report does not determine whether anyone became sick because of the mold.
The county said crews are now removing drywall and insulation, cleaning air-conditioning systems, and sealing and insulating the attic to address the moisture problem.
The county has not provided an exact timeline for completing the work, but says it hopes to have firefighters back inside Station 35 by November.
The temporary relocation also raises questions about response times.
Karaginis said right now firefighters are in DeLand which could affect crews responding to emergencies east of the station, including calls along I-4.
“When you move a station to the west by, let’s just say, 3 to 4 miles, it impacts everything to the east.”
He said that could lead to longer response times.
9 Investigates is continuing to track the county’s remediation work, the timeline for reopening Station 35 and whether the temporary relocation is affecting emergency response.
Do you have a story for WFTV’s 9 Investigators?
Click the banner below to submit a tip.
©2026 Cox Media Group
