By JOHN McCARTHY / V.I. Free Press News Reporter
ST. THOMAS — The Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Services (VIFEMS) has issued an abrupt station closure notice for the West End of St. Thomas, leaving residents wondering about emergency response times as a critical public safety asset is taken offline.
According to an official graphic released by the agency, the Fortuna Fire Station (also known as Tango Company), located at 8-1 Estate Fortuna, has been closed effective immediately.
The brief government notice offered no explanation, timeline, or justification for the sudden shuttering of the facility, stating only that the station will remain closed “until further notice.”
The lack of transparency regarding the closure raises immediate operational questions for West End residents, who already navigate challenging terrain and potentially prolonged response windows from alternative stations. VIFEMS has directed the public to call 911 for emergency assistance in the interim, but has not yet detailed how coverage or personnel will be rerouted to compensate for the offline station.
The Virgin Islands Free Press will continue to investigate the underlying causes behind this indefinite closure and demand answers from VIFEMS leadership.
