Man’s House Is on Fire, So He Allegedly Steals Fire Truck

While firefighters were trying to save his home, a New Hampshire man allegedly drove away in their fire truck. It was an unusually direct attempt to take control of customer service.

Police say Nestor Roman II stole the emergency vehicle as crews battled a blaze at his property. The incident was reported in Dalton, New Hampshire, with the allegation emerging on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

The basic sequence is impressively compact. Roman’s house was on fire. Firefighters arrived with the large, conspicuous and professionally useful vehicle designed for precisely that situation. Then, while they were occupied with the fire, police allege Roman took the truck and drove away.

Most householders faced with a blaze are content to let the firefighters retain custody of the firefighting equipment. Roman is accused of adopting a more hands-on approach, though one that had the obvious disadvantage of removing a fire truck from the place where a building was actively burning.

The available account does not say what prompted the alleged theft, whether Roman attempted to use any of the truck’s equipment, or how far he drove. It also gives no details about whether the vehicle was damaged. What is clear is that the truck had not been sitting around waiting for something to do. Its crew was in the middle of battling the fire at Roman’s home when it was allegedly taken.

Roman is described as being accused of stealing the vehicle, meaning the allegation has not been proved. No further information was provided about the precise charges against him, any court appearance or whether bail conditions were imposed.

There were also no reported details about injuries, the extent of the damage to the home or the cause of the original fire. Nor was it stated how the firefighters continued their work after discovering that a substantial part of their workplace had apparently left without them.

The report does not specify how the episode ended, where the fire truck was recovered or whether Roman was arrested immediately. Those details, along with the eventual fate of the house, remain to be disclosed by the authorities.

What happens next will depend on the police investigation and any resulting court proceedings. Firefighters, meanwhile, may reasonably hope that future residents whose homes they are saving will observe the traditional arrangement: the crew handles the hoses, and everyone else leaves the truck where it is.