Search and rescue stresses that the central fire station is not completely out of service

Skeletal staff, led by the Fire Chief, continues to operate from the building By Asi Andrew Fa'asau andrew@samoanews.com Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Fagatogo Fire Station remains partially operational, according to Department of Search and Rescue Director Utumoe Alefosio, who says a small crew continues to staff the facility even though it was formally closed more than a month ago by the Department of Health due to unsafe and unsanitary conditions. According to DOH Environmental Health Services Division Manager Aileen Solaita, her team inspected the station after receiving calls that the facility was unsafe for employees, citing dirty, unclean bathrooms and, most concerning, unsafe electrical wiring. She explained that wiring had been connected to power outlets just inches above a floor repeatedly soaked by leaks. “Just a spark would have started a fire right in the fire station,” she said. Solaita added that the bathrooms appeared as though they had never been cleaned, with toilets and sinks in filthy condition. However, DSAR Director Alefosio confirmed that two firefighters and the Fire Chief are still working out of an office inside the station, and that one fire truck remains housed there. He emphasized that this limited team has continued to respond to emergencies in the area. Alefosio said the Fagatogo-based crew and truck were the first responders to two fires that broke out in the village within the past week: On Friday evening, 07 July, 2026, a home in the hills of Fagatogo where a family of ten lived, was destroyed by fire. Then on Monday afternoon this week, a blaze razed the holding facility behind the main police station. Only after this initial response did additional firefighters and trucks arrive from Tafuna. Each of these incidents has raised questions about emergency readiness in the territory’s most densely populated village. According to a reliable source who spoke on condition of anonymity, had the Fagatogo Fire Station been fully operational, the extent of the damage would have been far less. He said the presence of even a small number of Fire Service personnel in the vicinity was critical in containing the blaze during its initial outbreak. He stated that the fire’s spread would have been catastrophic had no responders been nearby to mount the first attack. “If no one had been there to respond immediately,” he said, “the fire would have reached both the Police Station and the Fire Station itself.” He described the situation as a near miss that underscores the risks posed by the station’s prolonged closure and the importance of restoring full operations as soon as possible. Faipule Malaeoletalu Melesio Gurr wrote to the Governor expressing concern that the closure of the Fagatogo Fire Station may have slowed response times, particularly during last Friday’s fire, with firefighters having to come from Tafuna to reach the scene. Gurr also questioned why, after more than a month, the issues that led to the station’s closure — unsafe wiring, filthy bathrooms, and other hazards — have not yet been addressed. His letter highlights growing frustration among residents and lawmakers who say the station’s closure leaves the town vulnerable. Alefosio acknowledged the delay but said the renovation of the Fagatogo Fire Station is awaiting the processing of construction contract paperwork. Until that moves forward, repairs cannot begin. He stressed that the station is not completely out of service, despite the DOH closure order. The skeletal staff, led by the Fire Chief, continues to operate from the building and respond to emergencies as best they can. Section: Local News Tags: Fagatogo Fire Station
2026-07-10 17:18:47