The round of layoffs that hit the Lorain Fire Department last week is already affecting service to the city's residents, according to one fire captain.
Capt. Greg Neal said firefighters had to wait 10 minutes before taking action at a Lorain apartment Monday.
Lorain firefighters received multiple calls about a fire at a multi-unit apartment building at 1127 W. Erie Avenue, shortly after noon.
They arrived on scene within three minutes of receiving the call but could not enter the structure until they received backup from nearby fire departments.
Lorain normally responds with three to four pumpers and one tower unit, according to Neal, but due to department layoffs they were only able to send one pumper with a total of three firefighters.
Firefighters had to wait more than 10 minutes for backup to arrive from Elyria, Amherst, Sheffield Village and Vermilion.
"This is a firefighter’s worst nightmare and we were very fortunate no one was hurt," Neal said.
All four units are uninhabitable. The fire started in unit one. That unit is not livable. The other three units suffered heavy smoke damage.
