A fire engine window was broken after crew were confronted by hostile crowds in Co Tyrone, the fire service said today.
Violence erupted at around 1am when firefighters attended a wheelie bin ablaze at Newell Road, Dungannon.
Stones were thrown and the emergency services forced to retreat but nobody was hurt.
Fire service area commander Jim McCallum said: "You could describe it as recreational violence and it means the cost of repairing the vehicle and having it coming off duty.
"The people who are doing this are almost beyond the pale.
"They are not model citizens during the day, they are generally involved in other anti-social behaviour."
He said they were trying to work with community representatives to minimise attacks.
Meanwhile, crews in Fahan Street, Derry, were also forced to retreat last night after attending a burning car.
There was shouting and stone-throwing but no damage or injuries caused.
SDLP Assembly member Tommy Gallagher said it was "shameful that small groups
of people can engage in such reckless and mindless activities and it is
important that they are given the clear message that they have no support in the
local community."
He called for "a zero tolerance approach to attacks on emergency services
before someone is seriously hurt if not killed."