Noose found at Houston firehouse

HOUSTON, July 14 (UPI) -- Houston city officials say they are investigating the discovery of what appeared to be a noose at a city fire station.

The Office of the Inspector General told the Houston Chronicle it had begun an inquiry into the report that one of the station's firefighter had possessed a rope with a "noose-like" knot.

The name of the firefighter, who remained on duty Tuesday, was not released. He has 48 hours to obtain legal representation before being interviewed by investigators.

The Chronicle said the discovery last week at Fire Station 78 came a day after two female firefighters assigned to Bush International Airport filed a complaint that their quarters had been vandalized with sexist and racial graffiti.

The noose complaint was not the first in the Houston Fire Department this year, the Chronicle said. A rope with a similar knot was found in February in a captain's locker. The firefighter said the knot was a fisherman's knot, which is used for rescues.

Nevertheless, the February incident raised the ire of African-American activists and prompted the city council to appropriate $60,000 for racial-sensitivity training for the entire fire department.