An ambulance with a patient on board was attacked in Donaghamede, Dublin last night.

Dublin Fire Brigade said crew members were assaulted by a man who climbed into the ambulance and tried to remove the patient.

The windows were smashed and the ambulance had to be taken out of service.

Unfortunately one of our ambulance's was hit with a bottle while at a case in North Dublin. #dfblive pic.twitter.com/ZVc4FwsbLp — Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) November 1, 2015

A fire engine from the ambulance crew’s station came to assist after the incident on Carndonagh Road, but its crew was also attacked.

The Garda Public Order unit was called to the scene.

The crews returned to duty, with the ambulance crew resuming its work in a spare ambulance.

The incident came on what Dublin Fire Brigade says was its busiest night of the year.

1/2 units are still out, snapshot of some calls: 19 house fires, 193 small/bonfires, 26 unconscious cases #dfblive pic.twitter.com/D1xacoUxwX — Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) November 1, 2015

Fire services received a total of 701 calls between 4pm and 8am, compared to 595 last year.

The 701 calls include ambulances and fire calls across the eastern region - covering Leinster, Monaghan and Cavan.

Dublin was the busiest area - with 282 ambulance calls and 290 fire calls.

Crews attended 205 bonfires among the 290 call-outs.

Ambulance crews attended 30 assault cases.

The fire control room in Mayo, covering Connacht and Donegal, reported a quiet night.

Four bonfires were attended to in Galway, Sligo and Donegal, but all were under control.

The Cork Fire Control Room, covering Munster, also reported a quiet night.