IRVING, Texas — Four Irving firefighters from Station 9 were dispatched to an emergency call Saturday morning.
Around 9:45 a.m., the crew was out for about 15 minutes when a delivery driver passed by the fire station and noticed smoke and flames coming out of the building at 8101 Jetstar Drive.
"The most heavily damaged area is the kitchen," said Chad Moose, Public Information Officer for the Irving Fire Department. "Within the past couple of weeks, that stove actually had a maintenance order on it and was repaired for malfunctioning."
Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire. The fire started in the kitchen. The living quarters are also severely impacted, and there's smoke damage throughout the building.
Moose said no one was inside the building when the fire started. The firefighting equipment was not damaged.
Engine 12 was the first to arrive on scene, but the firefighters who live and work out of Station 9 responded, too.
"Engine 9 put themselves on it and came back to help," said Moose. "It's kind of like driving down your own street to see your own house on fire. It's gut-wrenching."
Station 9 serves an area between DFW International Airport and 635. They say they have a plan to serve residents that won't impact response times.
The displaced firefighters will stay at Station 12 and Station 7 for now.
"They'll be welcome at any station they go to, but it's really like sleeping in a hotel. You could be sleeping in your own bed," said Moose. The firefighters work 24 hour shifts and spend every third day at the fire house.
Irving's Fire Station 9 opened in 1987 and will be closed indefinitely.