The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) called out on Tuesday those behind the report of a hoax residential fire in this highly urbanized city on Monday night.
In a public advisory, the Bacolod City Fire Station said that aside from the hoax fire call, there was also an incident involving fraudulent food app orders indicating a delivery address in the same area at Villa Angela Subdivision, Barangay Villamonte, on the same evening.
“We strongly condemn these irresponsible acts that resulted in the unnecessary mobilization of emergency responders and caused inconvenience and financial losses to several food delivery riders,” City Fire Marshal Supt. Jenny Masip said in a statement.
She pointed out that these pranks cause waste of valuable emergency resources and could also endanger lives by diverting responders from legitimate emergencies.
“We remind the public that making false emergency reports and engaging in fraudulent activities may result in criminal and civil liabilities under applicable laws,” Masip said.
She added that individuals who intentionally place fraudulent food delivery orders may also face possible civil and criminal liabilities, involving fraud, deceit, or causing financial damage to affected parties.
In a report, the Bacolod City Fire Station said they received information relayed by the Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade regarding a residential fire in Villa Angela Subdivision at around 8:40 p.m.
Adhering to emergency response protocols, firefighters were immediately dispatched to verify the report.
A thorough assessment of the responding team “confirmed that no fire incident had occurred and that the report was a false alarm,” it said.
The BFP personnel also learned that the same address had been used to place several fraudulent food orders, which victimized five Foodpanda riders and a GrabFood rider, the report said.
The fire call and food orders used the mobile phone number 0907-438-7599, which may be subject to further investigation by concerned authorities, the Bacolod City Fire Station said. | PNA
