Firefighters routinely respond to emergencies where conditions can change within seconds, requiring coordination, quick decisions and support from neighboring departments to protect residents, property and one another during complex calls.
Several fire-related incidents kept Littleton firefighters busy from Monday afternoon into early Tuesday, beginning with a routine smoke investigation and culminating in an overnight house fire complicated by the alleged theft of an emergency vehicle.
The two unrelated calls took crews from a Littleton restaurant to a heavily involved structure fire in Dalton. During the second response, a Whitefield Fire & Rescue truck was allegedly stolen, struck firefighting equipment and narrowly missed three firefighters, according to New Hampshire State Police. No firefighter injuries were reported.
Smoke Prompts Response at McDonald’s
The first call came at 3:28 p.m. Monday when employees at McDonald’s reported smoke inside the restaurant. The building’s fire alarm activated soon after the initial 911 call reached Grafton County Dispatch.
Littleton Fire Rescue sent Engine 1, Ambulance 3, Ladder 1 and Car 1 to investigate. Crews encountered light smoke upon entering the restaurant and eventually traced it to a rooftop heating, ventilation and air-conditioning unit.
Firefighters secured the rooftop HVAC unit and ventilated the building. The department did not report any injuries associated with the incident.
Overnight Call Brings Crews to Dalton
Less than 12 hours later, Littleton firefighters were called to Faraway Road to provide mutual aid to Dalton Fire & Rescue.
Crews arrived shortly after 3 a.m. Tuesday and found the building heavily involved in fire. Because the flames were already at an advanced stage, firefighters operated defensively, working from outside the structure to contain the blaze.
The first-alarm response brought personnel and equipment from several neighboring communities. Littleton dispatched Engine 1, X3, and Car 1 to assist.
While firefighters were concentrating on the burning structure, the emergency scene became dangerous for reasons unrelated to the flames.
Apparatus Taken During Firefighting Operation
New Hampshire State Police said Nestor Roman II, 30, of Dalton, took a Whitefield Fire & Rescue vehicle from the scene at approximately 3:50 a.m.
The rescue truck then struck a Whitefield fire engine being used in the operation, drove over multiple water-supply lines and narrowly missed three firefighters, State Police said. Two wooden fences were also reportedly damaged as the vehicle traveled east on Faraway Road.
Troopers later received a report that the truck had crashed on another Dalton property and that a man was attempting to take items from the porch. They found him there shortly afterwards. State Police said he was uncooperative but was ultimately taken into custody.
Separate Investigations Remain Underway
He was taken to the Coös County jail and now faces several charges. The felony allegations include three counts of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, burglary and two counts of theft by unauthorized taking.
He also faces misdemeanor charges of obstructing government administration, four counts of conduct after an accident, resisting arrest and detention, driving after suspension and two counts of driving over a fire hose without consent. The case remains pending, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
State Police are investigating the alleged vehicle theft and the events that followed. The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the house fire.
Littleton Fire Chief Chad Miller praised the firefighters who managed the two calls.
“I’m proud of the work of B Shift and Captain Harvey throughout a busy and challenging shift,” Miller said. “The crew handled each incident professionally and worked together to ensure our community remained protected.”