Westwood, Massachusetts fire station closed after inspection reveals structural problems

A fire station in Westwood, Massachusetts has been shut down after engineers determined the building is no longer safe, forcing fire engines and firefighters to relocate and raising concerns about emergency response times in part of town.

Westwood Fire Station One, which had served as headquarters for the department, was closed after an emergency inspection following the recent blizzard revealed significant structural problems.

"Fire Station Not Staffed: Call 911" signs now hang outside the building.

Ongoing concerns at fire station

Westwood Fire Chief Steven Lund says the recent stretch of extreme cold followed by melting snow worsened issues the department had been monitoring for years.

"You can see the cracks right there and it's going all the way down," Lund said, pointing to a hole in the bay floor where trucks are typically parked.

The station, last renovated more than 50 years ago, has already been undergoing monthly inspections because of ongoing structural concerns.

"The white on the steel there, that's because it's leaking through now," Lund said, pointing to water damage in the building.

Firefighters relocated, response times impacted

For now, the town is relocating 11 firefighters per shift to the town's other station up in the road in Islington.

That move could impact response times for residents on the west side of town, it's something Lund is now studying.

"We have elderly complexes on this side of town. We've added a considerable amount of response time, which can be the difference between life or death," Lund said.

The station's closure comes after Westwood voters rejected two attempts over the past year to fund construction of a new fire station, a project estimated to cost more than $38 million.

"I get it. Nobody wants to pay more money. Everybody's tired, you know, tax fatigue and everything," Lund said. "But from an operational standpoint, it's extremely frustrating."

Town officials say they are now working around the clock to adjust operations while considering next steps.

"This is going to be 24 hours. Twenty-four hours, we're going to continue to reassess how we're doing things. We don't know what we don't know," said Deputy Town Administrator Molly Fitzpatrick said. "Putting everybody together, we've been reassessing and tweaking as we go along."

In the short term, the town is exploring ways to keep emergency equipment closer to the affected area, including placing a temporary canopy outside the closed station to house fire engines when weather allows.

Meanwhile, a select committee established in the town has been revisiting plans and the proposal for a new fire station. The town expects another funding ask to go in front of voters, but that won't happen until November at the earliest.