Charleston firefighters say the city has known about mold and water damage in fire stations for years and failed to act, according to a Live 5 News investigation drawing on hundreds of emails released through a public records request. Since 2024, the Charleston Fire Department has temporarily closed two stations after positive mold tests. Station 12 was shut in December 2024 and again in April 2025; Station 9 was closed in November 2024 to replace its HVAC system.
According to records and interviews cited in the report, at least 12 of the city's 17 fire stations have had mold concerns raised at some point since 2017. Former firefighter Robert Tackett, who spent most of his career at Station 9, said he and colleagues paid out of pocket for mold testing after their requests stalled. Tackett filed a lawsuit in 2025 alleging retaliation after he reported bunk-room temperatures consistently above 90 degrees; the suit has since been dismissed. Charleston Fire Deputy Chief Jason Krusen told Live 5 News he knows of no retaliation tied to transfers, demotions or terminations.
The story is the latest in a growing pattern of municipal workplace mold disputes involving first-responder facilities, where 24-hour occupancy and aging building stock can compound exposure concerns.