Maryland Fire Officials Investigate Use Of Offensive Language

County fire officials are investigating the use of a racial epithet over fire department radios following an apartment fire earlier this month.

Capt. Chauncey Bowers, a spokesman for the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department, confirmed this week that the department is investigating the use of the "N" word during an overnight fire response July 13.

Fire Company 42 was one of the units that responded to the minor blaze in Oxon Hill. When the fire was extinguished, the dispatcher told most of the units to return to their fire stations but called for Company 42 to stay on the scene. Then someone apparently came over the radio stating, "Hold the n-----s from 42," according to recounts of the incident.

Bowers said the department was trying to determine whether a firefighter or a civilian made the statement. Civilians can transmit over the frequency using private radios, even though the federal government bans such transmissions.

Related:

• 'N' Word Used Over Maryland Fire Radio