Days after a fire gutted a City Island building, Bronx residents and elected officials gathered Friday night to protest plans to partially close the island's only overnight firehouse.

Bronx Councilman James Vacca led dozens of locals in protest to demand that the city keep Ladder Company 53 open.

The city says budget cuts are forcing it to close the company between 6 p.m. to 9 a.m., starting next Saturday.

Early Tuesday morning, the company fought a fire in a local building and protestors say that fire should be a wake-up call for city officials.

"It's outrageous to close us, when it takes, by fire department estimates, at least nine-and-a-half minutes to get here. By that time, the whole street will be down!" said resident Inge Otto.

"This removal of the ladder company from City Island means life and death to the residents here in this community, and it's an ill-conceived budget cut that's got to be reversed," said Vacca.

The Fire Department says Ladder Company 53 is the least active company in the city and that off-island units can arrive to the area in time to fight fires.