Despite an influx of new firefighters bringing the department up to full staff just last month, Youngstown's station 15 on the west side is closed due to a lack of manpower. 

21 News reached out to chief Barry Finley after a caller said that the fire station was closed. 

Finley said the station is closed due to too many firefighters calling off work, a frustration he has cited many times over the past several years. 

"This has been happening since the dawn of time," said Youngstown fire chief Barry Finley.

Finley said he was unable to give an exact number as to how many firefighters called off, but that it was enough to make it impossible to keep all stations fully manned. 

The union disputes this characterization, as they told 21 News that two firefighters are on leave and seven of them are off with vacation days.

Finley and the union have feuded over rolling closures and exploding overtime for the past few years.

This closure comes after the YFD hired 6 new firefighters in late November.

At that time Finley told 21 News that the hires brought the department up to full staff and was optimistic that it would allow all Youngstown stations to stay open at all times.