Youngstown Professional Firefighters Local 312 President Jon Racco has released a statement on a fire that trapped five people inside a home on the city's South Side this weekend. 

Rocco says while he cannot say whether or not injuries could have been avoided, Rocco believes quicker assistance from a shutdown ladder truck would have helped after responders waited around a "couple of minutes" longer.

In the release, the union says shortly after Youngstown council members discussed a feasibility study to consolidate more fire stations Friday, the city had another unfortunate reminder of why stations should remain open. 

Youngstown Fire responded to a fire on Glenwood Avenue near Cohasset Drive just before 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning. 

In the release, the union says that Ladder 24 on West Indianola Avenue was closed and firefighters from Ladder 22 had to respond from the further away downtown station. 

Chief Berry Finley tells 21 News Monday, that he was left with no choice but to close down Ladder 24, pointing to repeated call-offs and no more money left in the overtime budget, a long-standing issue between the union and fire administration. 

Finley adds that $360 thousand of taxpayer money has already been depleted from the overtime budget, and has been since summer.

He said that the personnel responding to this weekend's fire had the same rescue training needed to assist, and says it's been years now that responders continue to call off work.

The release also mentions Youngstown City Councilwoman  Councilwoman Davis stating, “seconds matter” when discussing the feasibility study. 

"Our firefighters arrived short staffed to a well involved fire with victims trapped, where seconds did matter," said Racco in the release. 

Five people were trapped inside the home when they arrived, one victim was seriously injured after jumped from a second story window, and another victim suffered serious burns. 

"Our citizens are already paying the price for reduced service due to station closures. They can’t afford any further “consolidation,” especially when the City is enjoying its best financial health in decades," said Racco in the release. 

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The house is considered a total loss.