Keyes, California- Twenty-four firefighters from the Keyes Fire Department will not be returning to work today.

The Keyes Fire Board terminated Chief Eddie Jones and Assistant Chief Roger Jones along with Firefighter Chris Tate Thursday night following the completion of a month-long internal investigation into the small, troubled agency. The board also released 20 probationary firefighters and cadets and kept Firefighter Alexas Jones on administrative leave. Eddie Jones had been chief of the Keyes Fire Department for more than 20 years.

The climactic decision was announced to the assembled firefighters at a special board meeting after lengthy deliberation in closed session at the Keyes fire house.

The termination’s, releases and suspension leave the beleaguered department with a single firefighter while replacements are sought. The terminations and releases were all unanimously approved by the board, except in the case of Alexas Jones and one cadet.

Eddie Jones and Alexas Jones intend to appeal the decision, alleging that the firings were unlawful.

“This whole meeting was done illegally,” said Alexas Jones, Roger Jones’ wife. “I am behind my father-in-law 100 percent. We were given no explanation, there are no government codes on the postings…They will be hearing from our attorney.”

Assistant Chief Roger Jones was not present at the meeting.

Herb Collier and many of the released firefighters also intend to appeal the decision, but said they bear no ill will toward the board or Chief Jones. All of the firefighters who were released were involved in the walk out which sparked national attention in mid-January. Firefighters cited improper conduct by Roger Jones, including the firing of a cadet and promotion of pornographic material at the fire station, as the reason they chose to leave. The firefighters returned three days later after the Keyes Fire board agreed to open an inquiry.

Chief Rick Fortado of the Turlock Rural Fire District will continue to serve the Keyes Fire Department as interim chief while the department is restructured.

Fire Marshal James Weigand of the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire District, who was involved in the investigation, said that fire service for the small town will continue uninterrupted.

“Keyes will receive help from any of the surrounding departments, Mountain View, Turlock Rural, Ceres, Stanislaus Consolidated, should they need it,” he said.

Weigand said he though that the decisions made by the board were commendable and that everything was done to the letter of the law.

“The Keyes Fire Board bent over backwards to preserve the rights of these firefighters,” he said. “I think they were more than fair.”

It is notable that the majority of the probationary firefighters who were released are eligible to re-apply.