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At least two investigations are under way at the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department for incidents this fall involving volunteer firefighters, said Assistant Chief Scott Graham, a spokesman with Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services.

One incident involved an argument between a volunteer and career firefighter. Sources, who did not wish to be named because the case remains under investigation, say there have been tensions brewing between the two groups at the Burtonsville station, though Graham says this has not been an issue.

The first incident occurred around 5 a.m. on of Oct. 8, when a woman spending the night at the station reportedly urinated in another firefighter's bunk. The firefighter was asleep in the bed at the time, sources said. The woman spent the night in the station's dormitory after a date with a volunteer firefighter, an incident MCFRS spokesman Capt. Oscar Garcia said is against the rules. The station is at 13900 Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville.

"I'm somewhat [aware of] the female spending the night there, and again, there's the code of conduct and rules of regulation against nonmembers spending the night," he said. He said he believed the curfew for nonmembers to leave the station is either 9 or 11 p.m., and each station sets its own policy. The chief at the Burtonsville station could not be reached for comment Friday.

Graham said visitors typically go to the station either during business hours or in the early evening to have dinner with the firefighters. There are times when nonmembers spend the night to observe — the fire department's equivalent of a police ride-along — although observers fill out paperwork and plan their stay at the station's dormitory in advance, Graham added. When asked if the woman spending the night Oct. 8 was there to observe, Graham responded, "I don't think she was."

Garcia confirmed the firefighter who hosted the woman was suspended pending the outcome of an investigation.

Until the investigation is complete, it's unclear what punishment may be possible, Garcia said. Since the firefighter in question is a volunteer, he cannot be fired, though it is possible he could be suspended or asked to step down, Garcia said.

The reason behind the station's overnight policy relates to professionalism, Garcia said. Because the station is a public facility, firefighters have to follow a code of conduct while working at the station. The overnight policy also stems from wanting to ensure there are enough beds for the number of firefighters working overnight, he said.

The second incident, confirmed as under investigation by Graham and described by sources in the fire department who spoke on the condition of anonymity, occurred Nov. 18 during a small apartment fire.

While on the scene, a group of volunteer firefighters attempted to break down the door of a nearby apartment when a career lieutenant told them to stop because the fire had been contained, a source said. The volunteer firefighters continued to break down the door, and one volunteer firefighter got into a verbal altercation with the career lieutenant, saying the lieutenant should do his job while the volunteers handled theirs, sources said.

Hearing the argument, the volunteer captain came out from inside the apartment where the fire occurred, a source said. The captain said the volunteers should continue breaking down the door, as the door was already damaged, sources said.

The career lieutenant who was involved in the incident, Dallas Lipp, filed a complaint against the volunteer firefighter with whom he argued. The volunteer reportedly later apologized to Lipp, sources said. Reached by phone, Lipp declined to comment on the incident, saying the investigation is pending review.

Garcia and Graham said they have not seen any tensions between career and volunteer firefighters.

"I actually started at Burtonsville," Garcia said. "I've worked there several times, but it's nothing that I've experienced."

"Having worked there as a station captain, the relationship [and] the integrity between the career [firefighters] and volunteers is not an issue," Graham said. "These are the folks that ride on the rigs together, that respond to calls together.''

Because the investigations are ongoing and the issues may be determined "personnel matters," both Graham and Garcia said they are not required to disclose information about the incidents.

"The Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department is working very cooperatively with the office of the fire chief on all these investigative matters," Graham said.