Work is nearly finished on a new fire station in South Charleston.

"In two weeks, it will be open," Mayor Frank Mullens said Friday.

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Except for landscaping, the 5,600-square-foot fire station is almost finished. The fire station will have room for four vehicles and has six bedrooms, a communal kitchen, dining room and living room.

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Mullens said the fire station will be home to at least two ambulances and a fire engine at a time. Three firefighters will be stationed at the facility at all times, working in 24-hour shifts.

The fire station is being built on land already owned by the city. Mullens said city officials saved even more money by having crews from the city's public works department do most of the work. Work began in September.

"We didn't do the roof, and we didn't do the tile floor," said Public Works Director Gerald Burgy. But except for things like electric work and the facility's highly specialized system of tubes to suck out exhaust fumes from emergency vehicles, city employees did the bulk of construction.

Mullens said the city budgeted about $550,000 for the structure. Because of the in-house work, "You've got about a $1.5 million building for about half a million dollars," Mullens said.

Actually, city officials have spent less than that. Mullens said the Kanawha County Commission pitched in $250,000 toward the project, and will station a county ambulance at the fire station full time. Mullens also said the city has already sold the old fire station to a local businessman for $155,000.

Beds arrived for the fire station last week, and city crews expected to finish installing kitchen cabinetry and other furnishings over the weekend. "We're just waiting for landscaping after Monday," Mullens said.

The new fire station sits on the site of a former city park, on the other side of the railroad tracks from the old fire station on MacCorkle Avenue. Fire Chief James Wood said delays caused by passing trains should be no more frequent than delays now, and could be even less. Wood said two-thirds of the fires that Station 2 firefighters respond to are on the side of the tracks where the new station is being built.

City officials plan a public ribbon-cutting ceremony and an open house when the new fire station opens. Mullens hopes to dedicate the facility by mid-April.

To contact staff writer Rusty Marks, use e-mail or call 348-1215.

Work is nearly finished on a new fire station in South Charleston.

"In two weeks, it will be open," Mayor Frank Mullens said Friday.

The 5,600-square-foot facility off of Chestnut Street replaces the city's old Fire Station No. 2, which was built in the 1940s. The new facility features six separate bedrooms, a communal kitchen, dining room and living room, and has space for four vehicles in the attached garage.

Mullens said the fire station will be home to at least two ambulances and a fire engine at a time. Three firefighters will be stationed at the facility at all times, working in 24-hour shifts.

The fire station is being built on land already owned by the city. Mullens said city officials saved even more money by having crews from the city's public works department do most of the work. Work began in September.

"We didn't do the roof, and we didn't do the tile floor," said Public Works Director Gerald Burgy. But except for things like electric work and the facility's highly specialized system of tubes to suck out exhaust fumes from emergency vehicles, city employees did the bulk of construction.

Mullens said the city budgeted about $550,000 for the structure. Because of the in-house work, "You've got about a $1.5 million building for about half a million dollars," Mullens said.

Actually, city officials have spent less than that. Mullens said the Kanawha County Commission pitched in $250,000 toward the project, and will station a county ambulance at the fire station full time. Mullens also said the city has already sold the old fire station to a local businessman for $155,000.

Beds arrived for the fire station last week, and city crews expected to finish installing kitchen cabinetry and other furnishings over the weekend. "We're just waiting for landscaping after Monday," Mullens said.

The new fire station sits on the site of a former city park, on the other side of the railroad tracks from the old fire station on MacCorkle Avenue. Fire Chief James Wood said delays caused by passing trains should be no more frequent than delays now, and could be even less. Wood said two-thirds of the fires that Station 2 firefighters respond to are on the side of the tracks where the new station is being built.

City officials plan a public ribbon-cutting ceremony and an open house when the new fire station opens. Mullens hopes to dedicate the facility by mid-April.

To contact staff writer Rusty Marks, use e-mail or call 348-1215.