Hundreds of bats force shutdown of Florida fire station

June 12, 2017

HUDSON, Fla. (AP) -- A Florida fire-rescue crew has been evicted from its station by an invasion of bats.

The Tampa Bay Times reports anywhere from 500 to 1,000 bats have found their way into the station in Pasco County, Florida.

Crews say the bats have been found in the sleeping quarters, the weight room, and bathrooms.

The bats have created an unsanitary and unsafe working environment, and officials are working with a trapper to remove them.

The newspaper reports emergency workers first tried to offer the creatures bat boxes, which have holes in the bottom and rods that run horizontally inside for hanging.

It is illegal to completely remove them until after August, when the baby bats mature. Until then, officials will seal off entrances to the living quarters.