Student hitching ride on Dunedin fire engine 'absolute stupidity'

Tuesday, 28 July 2015

A drunken student joyrider hitched a lift on a fire truck in a moment of 'absolute stupidity', a fire boss says.

The Fire Service was called to Dunedin's student quarter, following a report of a couch fire on Howe St, on Monday about 9.25pm.

While firefighters attended a blaze, a man was spotted by a University of Otago Campus Watch officer climbing on the truck.

The fire truck was then called to notorious student hotspot, Castle St, to do a 'pre-emptive strike' on another possible couch fire, Fire Service East Otago area commander Laurence Voight said.

The Campus Watch officer had radio'ed ahead to another colleague to tell him 'there was a man on the roof [of the truck]'.

Voight said the truck then headed to Leith St where it was flagged down by a Campus Watch officer who said 'you have a rider on the truck'.

'They stopped and this guy tried to make a run for it, but Campus Watch detained him and they waited for police to arrive. 

'He was last seen heading back with police.'

Police confirmed they spoke to the man, who was not charged, before taking him back to his flat.

Voight said it appeared the man spent most of his time 'hooked on to the back of the truck …  just absolute stupidity'.

'What it is doing it is endangering themselves and an activity that we have to actively discourage.  If we got re-directed to another call that appliance could be going through town at around 70kmh.

'He could have got flung off and done himself some real damage.

'I don't know if he's been watching some of his grandfather's home movies about riding fire appliances back in the day, but don't do it now.'

The University of Otago confirmed the student would face 'the standard internal discipline process under the student code of conduct'.

'This is foolish and dangerous behaviour. Interfering with emergency service vehicles carries extra risks and will not be tolerated by the University.'

On the same night a Campus Watch staff member saw a young man dressed as a pirate, attempting to set fire to a couch on Howe St.

Campus Watch staff approached and attempted to get his details.  

When he refused police were called after which the young man tried to punch the Campus Watch staff member.  

He then ran off and was not located. The staff member was not injured.