Florence forces Wilmington firefighters to relocate

City crews moving from 2 damaged stations until repairs can be undertaken; officials say relocations won’t impact response times

WILMINGTON – City firefighters are on the move after their stations sustained damage during Hurricane Florence.

Wilmington Fire Department Headquarters, at 801 Market St., and Station 5, at 1502 Wellington Ave, both saw significant damage during September’s hurricane, forcing administration staff, crews and equipment to temporarily relocate while repairs are conducted.

A recent leak at the Market Street headquarters only further exacerbated the concerns.

Until further notice, administration offices and personnel will be located at 218 N. Second St. Meanwhile, Station 5 personnel and equipment will continue responding from the station during the day but will relocate in the evening hours to Station 6, located at 3939 Carolina Beach Road. That will remain in effect until alternate sleeping accommodations can be provided at Station 5.

The relocations are expected to last up to six months to accommodate repairs. An estimate on the cost of repairs is not yet available, according to a WFD release.

Reporter Hunter Ingram can be reached at 910-343-2327 or Hunter.Ingram@StarNewsOnline.com.