MINNEOLA, Fla. --
Fires get hot, but a local feud is even hotter and has shut down a local fire department.
The Minneola Fire Department is going on a 48-hour freeze because firefighters can't get along.
For two days, Lake County and Clermont firefighters will have to respond to fires and medical emergencies in Minneola while firefighters extinguish internal problems.
City officials said services won't be affected, but residents said they fear the infighting will impact their safety.
"We can't have tension in the fire department. It can't happen," Minneola Mayor David Yeager said.
Yeager said the Minneola Fire Department had become a hostile place to work. Nine paid firefighters, 11 volunteers and the fire chief have argued over policies and procedures.
One lieutenant briefly resigned. The city manager's solution was to close the station until Friday.
"(We need to) figure (out) what's going on and get to the bottom of this. I'm behind him 100 percent. He said stand down. Let's stand down and make this work," Yeager said. "I think when you have an issue you need to nip it and make sure you get to the bottom of it. A bigger issue is having a fire department that's dysfunctional and going around and not having excellent service."
"I don't think that that is being responsible to the community," resident Jane Eubank said.
The fire station is just one house away from Eubank. If she has a fire in the next two days, Clermont crews will have to respond from three miles away.
"We like the fact they're here because there is such a quick response," Eubank said.
While Minneola firefighters may know the streets better than other departments, Yeager said he believes residents are safe.
"Absolutely, positively, we'll be alright," Yeager said.
Firefighters will be paid while they're off.
"In 48 hours, we'll have a resolution to this," Yeager said.
The city's investigation into these problems will begin Thursday morning. The station will reopen its doors at 2 p.m. on Friday.
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