Unmarked fire engine not affiliated with Sacramento Fire seen flowing water around city
SACRAMENTO – Authorities have now identified the owner of the unmarked fire engine that has apparently been going around Sacramento and flowing water.
The Sacramento Fire Department posted an advisory about the strange fire engine on Thursday.
Sacramento Fire noted that the truck was not theirs yet has been seen driving around the city and flowing water.
In photos of the fire engine shared by Sacramento Fire, at least two people can be seen operating the vehicle. One of the people appears to have tattoos stretching from his head down to at least the lower back.
The fire truck appears to be an older model not currently in use by local agencies. Private ownership of a former fire truck isn't illegal in California, but often they're registered as historic vehicles.
According to Sacramento Police Department, it is also not illegal to drive a decommissioned fire truck or equipment on city streets with the correct DMV license endorsement and with all the emergency lighting equipment removed.
Further, a permit is required for a business or other entity to tap water from a fire hydrant in Sacramento.
After urging people who saw the fire engine around town to report it to authorities, Sacramento police posted an update on Friday that officers had located and identified the owner. Police -- who noted that the fire engine had not been stolen -- said they had talked with the owner and advised that proper license endorsements were needed and emergency vehicle equipment violations will need to be corrected before the engine can be road legal.
Exactly how many times the fire engine has been seen flowing water is unclear, but the photos showed it happened in at least a couple places – including near W Street and Alhambra Boulevard.
