A DC10-30 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE INCORRECT MEL REF AND PROCS FOR AN INOP FIRE BOTTLE.

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OCT/SAT/00; ZZZ MAINT CALLED STATING THAT ACFT XYZ AIR-RETURNED DUE TO AN AFT CARGO FIRE LIGHT ILLUMINATING. THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO FIRE; JUST A LIGHT AND THEY WANTED TO PUT IN ON MEL 26-17-2. ACFT XYZ WAS POS FERRYING TO ARKANSAS AND LEAVING THE ACR SYS DURING THE EVENT. I WAS WILLING TO PUT IT ON MEL 26-17-2; HOWEVER; THE COMPUTER SYS WOULD NOT ACCEPT THAT MEL. SO WE DISCUSSED USING MEL 26-17-1. THE DIFFERENCE BTWN THE TWO BEING 26-17-1 IS FOR 1 OR 2 CARGO FIRE LIGHTS ON THE FE PANEL BEING INOP; AND 26-17-2 IS FOR BOTH LIGHTS ON THE FE'S PANEL BEING INOP WITH AN ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT THAT THE CARGO COMPARTMENT MUST REMAIN EMPTY. THE CARGO COMPARTMENT WAS GOING TO REMAIN EMPTY EITHER WAY SO WE DISCUSSED THE LIGHTS. THE CONCLUSION WAS THAT MEL 26-17-1 WAS APPROPRIATE BECAUSE ONE LIGHT STILL WORKED AND OTHER REQUIRED SYS AND LIGHTS WERE ALSO WORKING. SUBSEQUENTLY; I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT A FIRE BOTTLE WAS BLOWN AND NOT REPLACED; THIS MEANS THAT MEL 26-19 (CARGO FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYS) SHOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN ISSUED. THIS MEL REQUIRES THAT THE CARGO COMPARTMENT REMAIN EMPTY. ALTHOUGH THE CARGO COMPARTMENT WAS INDEED EMPTY THE MEL WAS NOT ISSUED.