HUSTONVILLE, Ky. — The fire chief and nearly a dozen firefighters suddenly quit the Hustonville, Ky., Fire Department on Wednesday, leaving the city with only half its usual firefighting force.
They quit in response to Mayor Cecil Maddox’s accusations that the department was misusing its fire hall, according to Lex18.
The chief reportedly allowed actors to get into costume in the fire hall before working a nearby haunted house.
Mayor Maddox says the fire chief should have asked permission beforehand, and firefighters left the hall unlocked after the actors left.
Maddox says he asked Fire Chief Stanley Shepperson to quit, but Shepperson says he took the first step.
“They’ve lost about 12 to 13 members here tonight, all certified, instructors and everything,” former chief Shepperson said.
The mayor maintains that current fire protection is adequate, with the remaining firefighters teaming up with nearby Moreland and Lincoln County in the event of an emergency. The assistant fire chief was promoted to chief.