Under fire

Vancouver (British Columbia), Oct. 26 (Reuters): A Canadian city under pressure for alleged sexual harassment within its fire department has ordered firefighters to wear only boxer-style underwear.

Richmond, British Columbia will spend $14,200 to buy six pairs of underwear for each firefighter in a bid to make firehalls in the suburb of Vancouver more gender neutral.

“We supply firefighters with various pieces of gear such as gloves, now it’s underwear,” an official said. A recent investigation of the department described its workplace culture as “characterised by juvenile behaviour” towards female firefighters.