LYNCHBURG, Va – More than 20 firefighters in Lynchburg are sitting at home after potential exposure to the new coronavirus (COVID-19).
There’s only one positive case for the department-- while two fire stations have had to shut down this week.
Fire station 1 in downtown Lynchburg is open again.
10 News was there Friday and saw a disinfecting crew come by. The city hired a company to come clean every surface inside the station.
This comes after one firefighter assigned to fire station tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday.
Eight of his coworkers are at home in self-quarantine.
Then just yesterday—two others from Fire Station 3 on Fort Avenue are in self-isolation after coming in contact with a patient who later tested positive for COVID-19.
15 others are in self-quarantine.
Fire chief Greg Wormser said he has to wait a couple more days to find out if the two in self-quarantine will test positive.
“They were showing symptoms when they were tested. We have since talked with both of them and those same symptoms are not the same currently. We’re hopeful that maybe it means they’re healthy and will be able to return to work,” Wormser said.
Wormser said staffing is not an issue right now.
They’re working to limit how many firefighters can be in a station at a time.
Wormser said the firefighter who tested positive is still not feeling well.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with that firefighter and his family as the rest of our providers and the rest of our fighters that are quarantined. We hope for a recovery soon, but he is currently still under the weather unfortunately,” Wormser said.
Wormser does not have an official day when Fire Station 3 will open again.