(SUQUAMISH, Kitsap County) -- Firefighters from North Kitsap Fire & Rescue's (NKF&R) Suquamish fire station are temporarily out of their quarters after an overwhelming stench -- apparently emanating from decomposing rodent carcasses left from a recent exterminator's effort to stem an infestation problem in the building's attic areas -- has made the facility untenable.

NKF&R's Suquamish crews began noticing the growing odor last week, approximately two weeks after the exterminator's visit. On Friday, the district called in a biohazard clean-up company to track and eradicate the smell. Personnel from the company removed the facility's ceiling tiles and insulation, removed the droppings left by the animals and searched the attic. No other source for the smell was located, and officials hoped that the thorough cleaning would solve the problem. Firefighters remained in the station through Saturday evening when it became apparent that the problem was getting worse. Uncertain of the odor's health effects, district officials moved Suquamish crews to the Miller Bay Road headquarters station and they've been operating from there since Saturday night. Personnel from the biohazard company are back on the scene this evening and continue to work toward resolving the problem.

During the station's temporary closure, Suquamish citizens can conduct routine business (such as blood pressure checks and burning permits) at NKF&R's headquarters station. In emergencies, officials warn, citizens may experience slightly lengthened response times. "The position of our Miller Bay Road station provides a good response to Suquamish," says NKF&R Assistant Chief Dan Smith, "But the position of our Suquamish station provides the best response to that community -- and that's why we're doing everything we can to get crews back into the facility as soon as we can."

(SUQUAMISH, Kitsap County) -- After workers pulled a well-concealed rat carcass from insulation encasing one of the station's heating ducts this morning, North Kitsap Fire & Rescue officials are hopeful that they've solved the problem that caused this weekend's temporary closure of the Suquamish fire station; firefighters returned there this afternoon.