Hooker and Ladder

WASHINGTON — Washington, D.C.'s new fire chief recently asked police to launch an investigation after a tip that some fire department employees turned at least one fire station into a prostitution house.

Fire Chief Dennis Rubin wants to know if any of his staff are involved— jumping into a heated debate early in his reign.

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty said he was "troubled" by the reports and admits that there needs to be better background checks in the fire department.

City officials and investigators won't confirm details, but reports include allegations that a prostitution ring was referred to as "D.C. Fems," a play on the acronym for the city's fire and emergency medical services department.

Investigators are also reviewing whether female paramedics performed sex acts for money in the bunkhouses of fire stations.

"We take these allegations very seriously," said Alan Etter, a spokesman for the fire department. "The public needs to know that we are going to do the appropriate thing and cooperate in this investigation. 99.999 percent of our employees are ethical, upstanding, outstanding public safety professionals."

The fire station's unofficial Web site was pulled from the Internet but older posts call the fire station the "busiest single house."