The Pittsburgh Fire Bureau has begun an investigation into possible misuse of city equipment by firefighters, who have been accused of installing a satellite dish on one of their homes.

The firefighters union said it supports an investigation, but alleges that politics plays a role in the allegation.

On Wednesday, James Genco, a Democratic committeeman from Lawrenceville, brought photos to City Council showing five men in blue using ladders to install the dish. A city ladder truck appears in a photo.

The photos were taken in early September, and captured events at 1921 Noblestown Road, according to Mr. Genco.

That is the Westwood home of Thomas R. Pilch. City personnel records indicate that Mr. Pilch joined the Fire Bureau in 1998. Mr. Pilch had no comment. There was no dish visible at the home yesterday.

"It shouldn't have happened," Mr. Genco said yesterday. "It's costing us a million dollars in [firefighter] overtime. Is this part of their overtime?"

This year, overtime pay for city firefighters has averaged $1 million a month.

Council forwarded the photos to Fire Chief Michael Huss. "That's when we became aware of it," he said yesterday. The bureau is working with the city's Office of Municipal Investigations to determine what happened, and whether disciplinary action should be taken, he said.

He said it was premature to say what range of punishments might be considered.

"We don't condone that kind of activity," said International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1 President Joe King. But, he added, firefighters often use their equipment to hang banners or pump out flooded basements within their service areas.

"If a simple mistake was made, or a decision was made to help out another firefighter, I don't have a big problem with it," he said.

Any effort to punish the installers would go before a disciplinary panel made up entirely of firefighters, he said.

Mr. King noted that Mr. Genco is a supporter of Democratic mayoral nominee Bob O'Connor. Mr. Genco is often seen at Mr. O'Connor's events, or wearing shirts emblazoned with the candidate's name.

Mr. King noted that last month his union switched its endorsement from Mr. O'Connor to Republican candidate Joe Weinroth. "Well, then Genco reproduced the pictures and decided to use them against the firefighters," Mr. King said.

Mr. O'Connor's spokesman, Dick Skrinjar, characterized the campaign's involvement in the emergence of the photos as "zero, nothing, no involvement."

Mr. Genco said the person who took the pictures -- whom he declined to identify -- was told by firefighters that "she'd better make sure her homeowner's insurance is paid up."

Mr. King said his investigation indicated that no threats were made.