New Hampshire Man Accused of Stealing Fire Rescue Truck During Active House Fire, Striking Firefighters

A 30-year-old New Hampshire resident stands accused of commandeering a rescue vehicle belonging to firefighters who were battling a blaze at his residence early Tuesday morning. Nestor Roman II of Dalton allegedly operated the stolen Whitefield Fire & Rescue F550 truck in a manner that endangered multiple emergency responders at the scene near Faraway Road and Mountain Road.

State police responded around 3:50 a.m. to assist Dalton Fire & Rescue crews who were tackling a fully involved structure fire with mutual aid from neighboring departments. Authorities learned that the rescue vehicle had been taken without authorization shortly before 5 a.m., according to fire department officials.

During his alleged escape, Roman drove the F550 in proximity to Whitefield’s E3 fire engine, narrowly avoiding three firefighters and nearly trapping one between the two large vehicles. The stolen truck then struck the fire engine and a small pickup truck, with Roman driving over multiple active water supply lines serving the firefighting operation.

The incident continued as Roman allegedly damaged a firefighter’s personal vehicle and destroyed property fencing at two nearby residences. The stolen rescue truck ultimately crashed several miles away on a homeowner’s property, where Roman was found on the porch attempting to remove items.

Troopers arrested Roman at the scene after he resisted officers. He faces three felony counts of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, one felony count of burglary, and two felony counts of theft by unauthorized taking, along with seven misdemeanor charges including obstructing government administration and driving over fire hoses without consent.

Despite significant damage, Whitefield’s E3 fire engine remained operational and firefighters successfully extinguished the flames. The structure was declared a complete loss, with the State Fire Marshal’s Office investigating the fire’s origin. Dalton Fire & Rescue stated no firefighters sustained injuries.