GOSHEN TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WXIX) – The Goshen fire station, which has been out of service for two years, will soon be demolished to make way for a new one.
For two years, Fire Station 18 served as a memorial to the July 6, 2022 EF2 tornado that swept through Goshen, damaging nearly 300 buildings.
Bent doors, crumbling walls and about a third of the fire station missing – all signs of the damage caused by the tornado.
In September these painful memories will be destroyed.
Goshen Fire Chief Edward Myers says his firehouse is now off the repair list thanks to new funding after a debate over whether to repair or rebuild the station, which partially collapsed under the weight of the tornado.
“It’s more cost-effective to tear it down and start over,” Chief Myers explained.
Myers pointed out that extensive modernization work is needed to bring the more than 40-year-old fire station up to date.
“With the old technology, gas and electricity consumption was not very efficient and, given the cancer, the cost of installing these safety measures for our employees would have been astronomical,” the boss said.
The new firehouse will be approximately 1,000 square feet, larger than the existing one, and will include a 35-person training room, additional sleeping quarters and a tornado shelter, according to Chief Myers.
“This new building will be much more stable than the 1982 building,” the boss said.
The roughly $4 million reconstruction plan was given the green light after $2.5 million in state funds and about $6 million in insurance and EMA funds were provided, meaning taxpayers won’t have to foot the bill.
“No tax money will be used to rebuild this fire station,” Chief Myers said.
To honor the history of the existing fire station, Myers plans to incorporate remnants of the building into the new one.
“It’s going to be a breath of fresh air,” the chief added. “Two years have gone by; everyone is excited to get the ball rolling on building the new firehouse, so there’s going to be a lot of excitement and a lot of commotion.”
Myers says the damaged fire station will be demolished in early September.
Completion of the new fire station is planned for late autumn 2025.
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