Officers of the Princes Town Fire Station are threatening to abandon the station due to what they call a rat infestation and infrastructural issues.
President of the Fire Service Association Second Division Keone Guy says the situation at the station poses serious health and safety issues to the officers.
Speaking with Guardian Media at the station this morning Guy referred to the station as the house of horrors.
He said the authorities are aware of the conditions as officials had toured the station and received an Occupational Safety and Health report in December 2023.
He said the fire service was given 21 days to address these issues but no reasonable action was taken.
Lamenting that the building is dilapidated and the conditions deplorable, he said, "Over the last couple of days we received reports of a rodent running across the shoulder of a fire officer at the time when he was attempting to rest in the male dormitory."
As a result, the officers moved some of the beds from the dormitory and placed them in an open area on the compound.
"Officers are feeling as though their lives are under threat."
Ancel Lemessy, Association assistant secretary believes that the station has to be rebuilt.
He has identified a building where the officers could be temporarily relocated until a new station is constructed.
In the interim, he said the officers will no longer be occupying the Princes Town station and will report to stations nearest to their residence.
Other issues include mosquitoes and pigeon infestation and non-functioning lights, air conditioners and refrigerators.
Moruga/Tableland MP Michelle Benjamin described the situation as worrying as already this year there have been four house fires two of which were fatal.
The station also services areas within Barrackpore and Tabaquite.
She called on National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds to intervene immediately to rectify the situation.