Senior officer Bowen said meeting the rapper, in town to perform tonight at the Big Day Out at the Showgrounds, was “surreal” – although at first he did not know who he was.



“We received an automated alarm call to a Melbourne hotel and while we were there to investigate Snoop spoke to us,” Officer Bowen said.



“He was pretty funny, a really nice guy. If you didn’t know that he was someone famous you would just think he was a really nice guy.”



Officer Bowen said Snoop asked for a photo with the firefighters because he had “always wanted to be a firefighter”.



“After his entourage got photos we asked for a few with him, which he didn’t have a hassle with.



“It was really surreal, one of the highlights of a 26-year career.”



Snoop took to his Instagram account to post pictures of himself with the firefighters, which instantly sent the faces of Officer Bowen, Leading Firefighter Owen Sullivan and Firefighter James Kemp’s around the world to his 2.5 million followers.



Officer Bowen said the celebrity encounter was a highlight for the crew, although initially the meeting was a little awkward.



“I was initially speaking with one of his entourage and I hadn’t noticed Snoop. I said ‘What brings you guys to Melbourne?’ They said ‘We play in a band.’ I said ‘Sorry, I don’t get out that much’ and then I realised.



“It was funny, I said I’ve always wanted to come into a flash (hotel) room like this and party with the stars."

The MFB spokeswoman said it was the last thing the firefighters were expecting.

"It was obviously the last thing they were expecting when they were called to the incident and from all reports he was absolutely lovely," the spokeswoman said.

"He told them he had actually wanted to be a firefighter when he grew up."