Members of the Annapolis firefighters union have overwhelmingly expressed a lack of confidence in the fire chief and said his continued stay at the helm could put the public in danger, the union president said today.

"In most departments of government, this crisis in management would result in the loss of productivity," said Lt. John Morgan, head of Local 1926, which represents 79 city firefighters. "In the fire department, such a situation could result in the loss of property or life."

The union also reiterated its call of earlier this month for Chief Edward P. Sherlock Jr. to resign, saying he bungled an investigation into allegations of firefighters having sex on duty four or five years ago.

The 11-week investigation involved five firefighters and two city police officers who were accused of having sex in patrol cars and in the back of ambulances.

Two firefighters were reinstated last month after city officials learned an investigator once had sex while off-duty with a woman involved in the case.

Mayor Alfred A. Hopkins conducted his own probe and concluded the fire department's sex probe was "tainted," but said that does not mean the allegations were false. He left punishments for the other three firefighters intact.

Lieutenant Morgan said the investigation was only part of the reason for the vote last week -- where 69 firefighters voted against the chief, six voted for him and four abstained -- but would not comment further.