Firehouse No. 9, located on San Antonio’s east side. It is one of the older fire stations in San Antonio, just celebrating its centennial last year. Built in 1913, it is one of the few fire houses left in San Antonio with, not one, but two fire poles. The original structure had the living quarters for the firemen, and two apparatus (fire truck) bays. You can still see the grooves in the drive, leading to the bays, where the horse drawn apparatus’ would be parked. After being renovated over the years, the station now houses two apparatus bays, an ambulance bay, and the original living quarters, which haven’t changed that much over the past one hundred years.
Some firefighters have been stationed here their entire career. One firefighter, by the name of Ramiro Rivera, died at the firehouse, in a tragic accident in 1963. Rivera had been stationed at the firehouse for his eleven years as a firefighter. Each fireman at the station has an assigned chore, that day it was his job to sweep and mop the floors. The story goes that Rivera was mopping upstairs in the firehouse. He did not judge where he was mopping, and lost his balance, falling to his death down the fire pole hole. Because of his sudden death, some of the firefighters believe that he is still at the station, carrying on his duties, as though he never left.
Firefighters report hearing footsteps, as if someone is pacing upstairs between the bunks. When they go to investigate, everyone is on their bunk and accounted for. The second shift Fire Captain has his own sleeping quarters and reports having felt the sensation of someone sitting on the edge of his bed.
The upstairs isn't the only place of activity. In the first floor kitchen/break room where firefighters gather during a long shift, they claim to have seen full body apparition of someone closely resembling Ramiro Rivera. They also note electrical interference in some of the apparatus bays.
While they won't come out and say it, many of these amazing and tough firefighters understand there's something other worldly going on.
1. "Mommy"