NEW YORK (Central New Jersey's Home News & Tribune) - Three volunteer firefighters in Iselin, N.J., have been suspended over allegations they participated in a raucous soiree at the firehouse with rock band Lit on May 3.
According to Central New Jersey's Home News and Tribune, Fire Chief Steven Mellett and two junior firefighters from the Auth Avenue firehouse have been suspended after an emergency District 11 Board of Fire Commissioners meeting on Monday (May 13) determined the three men were involved in a party that included members of Lit trying on fire fighting equipment and a woman flashing her breasts.
According to a spokesperson for Lit, the band was in town to perform at a makeup show at Birch Hill Entertainment Complex in Old Bridge, N.J. (previously cancelled due to Sept. 11), where they met the firefighters, who had the night off, at a T.G.I. Friday's restaurant in nearby Woodbridge. Partying ensued and eventually made its way back to the firehouse, where members of Lit and the firefighters lived it up until the wee hours. The band played an all-request show for the firefighters at the station.
The trouble started, however, when Lit posted photos of the evening on its official Web site . The photos, since removed, showed band members wearing helmets and turnout coats that clearly read "Iselin 11" on them, an unidentified woman flashing her breasts to an occupant in the chief's Chevrolet Suburban, band members shooting off fire extinguishers, and other scenes of partying in and around the firehouse (which includes a basement bar area).
The band's account of the evening's events, which also included a story that revealed they were given a ride back to the station under "Code 3" circumstances (firespeak for lights flashing and sirens blaring ?- a violation of state traffic laws when not warranted), was also included on the Web site.
Once the Board of Commissioners got wind of the account on the Web site, an investigation was launched, resulting in the aforementioned disciplinary action. An as-yet-undecided hearing will be set after a determination by the Commission's lawyer if any criminal charges will be filed against the fire fighters.
In a collective statement issued Tuesday (May 14), the band thanked the fire fighters for a good time. "Lit would like to thank the Iselin Fire Department for their hospitality and tour of Station 11 on Friday, May 3, 2002."
On Wednesday (May 15), the band has this to say of the situation: "The statement that Lit got the firefighters in trouble is completely inaccurate. Everything that Lit took part in was by invitation from members of the Iselin Volunteer Fire Department, therefore it appears the firefighters got themselves in trouble. The band was invited to the firehouse and invited to take a tour. Lit has the utmost respect for the firefighting profession and we're honored to meet some of the members of the department and accept their invitation to the firehouse. The band had no way of knowing that the offer being extended to them was unauthorized in any way."
