INGALLS — An online picture of his girlfriend’s pose with a hose is an example of the horseplay that cost the town fire chief his job, a council member said.

Firefighters have accused the Town Council of firing Fire Chief Joshua Benson because of a personal vendetta. So council members are being more forthcoming with examples of why the chief lost his job.

The council’s concerns culminated about a week ago when town officials found sexually suggestive pictures posted on Benson’s online MySpace page, Councilman Rick Corbin said.

MySpace pictures showed his girlfriend fully clothed, dressed in firefighter pants and making suggestive poses with a fire truck and fire hose. The pictures’ captions were also suggestive.

Council members also had concerns about teens using the fire station as a hangout and party place.

“It’s not a play house; it’s a professional fire place,” Corbin said. “He just wasn’t in control of his personnel.”

The department has a lot of young volunteers who have girlfriends and kids who are frequently at the station goofing off, Councilman Tim Green said.

People playing at the station is a safety and liability issue, Corbin said.

For instance, a volunteer’s girlfriend was recently injured at the station. The volunteer chased her around the station, and she tripped on her sandals and sprained her ankle, Corbin said.

The council was worried she would file a tort claim against Ingalls so the town would have to pay her ambulance and medical bills, Green said.

Council members made a list of suggested improvements for the department, and not a single suggestion was followed, Green said. They told Benson to stop the horseplay and hanging out at the station.

Councilwoman Joye Orr visited the station about three days after Benson was given the list, and conditions were worse instead of better, Green said.

The chief’s girlfriend was sitting behind the chief’s desk, using her computer and smoking, which is prohibited in town buildings, Green said. Her dog and daughter were running around the station as well, Green said. Orr refused to comment about the issue.

Council members made another offer to speak with Benson, Green said. His response was a letter laid on the council table before its Monday meeting.

In the letter, Benson said he, not the council, would say what was tolerable and allowable at the fire station. And he said firefighters were not allowed to report any incidents to town officials without him present.