Firefighters in Nova Scotia got an unusual sight early Wednesday — one of their emergency vehicles on fire.

Cape Breton Regional Police said a driver spotted the small truck burning on the Grand Narrows Highway, southwest of Sydney, at about 4:20 a.m.

Staff Sgt. Mike Kennedy said Boisdale firefighters had discovered one of their emergency vehicles was missing when they responded to the call for help.

"When those volunteer members arrived at their station in Boisdale, they realized their station had been broken into and one of their vehicles had been stolen," he said.

Kennedy said the vehicle is extensively damaged.

Gerald O'Handley, a volunteer firefighter with the Boisedale department, said the truck was used to respond to medical emergencies, and thousands of dollars worth of equipment in it was destroyed.

"Everything we had for first responding was in that vehicle, so we have to start all over again refurbishing all that stuff. And there was stuff on our trucks here that was taken — we lost power saws, and battery chargers and a lot of stuff," Handley said.

"We're still going over it, so we're checking it all over to see the full extent of what's gone."

Fire officials hope their insurance will cover the costs of replacing the truck and equipment.

Police urge anyone with information to contact the department or Crime Stoppers.

"We don't know why or who took this vehicle," said Kennedy.

Boisdale is a rural community on the eastern shore of Bras d'Or Lake, about 35 kilometres from Sydney.