It looked more like a scene out of a reality show than the streets of Lower Manhattan: two young women, laughing and taking selfies, waving out the window of an FDNY firetruck as it rolled down Essex Street with lights flashing—its horn reportedly blaring at their request.

Now, what some are calling a reckless PR nightmare has sparked an internal investigation at the New York City Fire Department, putting a spotlight on Ladder Company 18 and Engine 15, based out of Pitt Street on the Lower East Side.

Video of the incident—shot Thursday night and posted to YouTube hours later—shows the women, a blonde and a brunette, perched inside the rig’s cab, smiling and filming as the truck moves through traffic. One even dons a firefighter’s helmet, leaning partway out the window while NYPD officers stand nearby, seemingly unfazed.

“Firefighters just picked up some chicks at a Lower East Side bar,” the man behind the camera can be heard saying in the now-viral clip. “They’re having a blast!”

According to FDNY officials, the truck was not responding to an emergency at the time of the incident. But it was in motion, with emergency lights active—something insiders say changes everything.

“It’s just a stupid thing to do,” said one FDNY chief, speaking anonymously to The Post. “We let kids sit in the rig for public education all the time. But once that truck moves, it becomes a whole different liability.”

The same chief emphasized that if a call had come in during the unauthorized ride, it would have forced a delay in response time. “You have to pull over, get the unauthorized riders off safely. That’s time lost—and in our world, seconds matter.”

At the heart of the scandal is Ladder 18, a company with a storied history. The station responded heroically during 9/11, its rig famously buried beneath the rubble at Ground Zero. That very truck was later salvaged and now sits on display at Motts Military Museum in Ohio—a reminder of courage and sacrifice. This latest viral moment has left some feeling like the legacy of Ladder 18 has taken a hit.

“This isn’t what we represent,” said another veteran firefighter who asked not to be named. “We’ve worked too hard to be taken seriously, especially post-9/11. This is not the image we want out there.”

The firehouse itself offered no comment Friday, with arriving firefighters declining to speak to reporters. The FDNY confirmed an investigation is underway, led by internal affairs, to identify all firefighters involved in the incident as well as the two women who joined them inside the vehicle.

The video also captured NYPD officers at the scene, reportedly guarding a moped involved in an unrelated accident. Their reaction—or lack thereof—to the firetruck hijinks has also raised eyebrows.

“Cops are like, ‘Why do firefighters get to have all the fun?’” the videographer joked in the footage. But public safety advocates aren’t laughing.

“This is incredibly irresponsible,” said Maria Velasquez, a former EMS coordinator and public safety consultant. “That’s a city-owned emergency vehicle, and those women had no business being inside it while it was moving. If that truck had been in an accident, they could’ve been seriously injured—or worse.”

The incident has become the latest in a series of public-relations headaches for city agencies where social media moments go viral for all the wrong reasons. But this one, critics say, is especially egregious because of the public trust firefighters are expected to uphold.

The FDNY’s code of conduct prohibits unauthorized passengers in emergency vehicles under any circumstances. The department has not stated what disciplinary measures may be on the table, but insiders say any officer present will “likely be disciplined immediately.”

For now, the department is reviewing video footage, interviewing firefighters at Ladder 18, and trying to identify the two women in the viral clip. Whether the incident results in suspensions, demotions, or public reprimands remains to be seen.

What is clear is that a firehouse known for bravery is now under fire for something else entirely: bad judgment, caught on camera, and broadcast to millions.