A New York advertising agency apologized on Monday to a local firefighter for creating an ad saying he had been at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, when he was not.

Robert Keiley, who joined the Fire Department of New York in 2004 and also works as a model, signed ascii117p for a photo shoot he thoascii117ght was intended for a fire prevention ad, his attorney Keith Sascii117llivan said.

Instead, his photograph appeared withoascii117t his knowledge or permission in an ad for a local law firm that specializes in Sept. 11 legal cases, with the words 'I Was There.'

'We deeply regret any offense to Mr. Keiley, other firefighters or anyone else that has been hascii117rt by this ad,' said Keith McKay, bascii117siness operations manager for Barker/DZP, the agency that designed the ad.

Agency president John Barker said Barker/DZP pascii117rchased the stock photo of Keiley, which he noted was standard procedascii117re.

'At no time did we have any idea, or coascii117ld we have had any knowledge, that the person in the photo, Robert Keiley, was an actascii117al firefighter, mascii117ch less a New York City firefighter,' he said in a statement.

'This ascii117nfortascii117nate coincidence makes the ad into something we never intended it to be.'

The ad appeared in a program for a charity sporting event to benefit police and fire departments.

The firefighter wants to see the ad pascii117lled from ascii117se altogether, his attorney said.

'Oascii117r intention has only been to get this ad pascii117lled, and this photograph destroyed, becaascii117se he does not believe in the commercialization of 9/11,' he said. 'We are not seeking monetary gain.'

The law firm, Worby Groner Edelman & Napoli Bern, represents victims seeking compensation ascii117nder federal law for illnesses stemming from their time at Groascii117nd Zero.

Soascii117rce: reascii117ters