By Bill Lindelof
The Sacramento Bee
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A prankster Monday night made phony phone calls that made big messes and closed two Elk Grove restaurants.
The prank calls that spewed fire suppression discharge at the two restaurants began around 7:20 p.m. when somebody called Five Guys restaurant, 9257 Laguna Springs Drive.
The caller asked restaurant staff to pull the activation handle in the kitchen to “test” the fire suppression system. The caller assured restaurant staff that no discharge would be released because it was only a test. What followed was a discharge of a suppression agent that created quite a mess.
The same prank call occurred at about the same time at Wendy’s, 8871 Bond Road, with the same mess as the outcome. However, a similar prank call to Panera Bread, 8519 Bond Road, did not result a big cleanup because the manager declined to pull the handle.
In the case of a fire, a discharge of fire suppression agent can save a building from going up in flames. However, in the case of the Five Guys and Wendy’s prank calls, the resultant mess caused the restaurants to close for the night to clean up and have a technician recharge the suppression system, according to Cosumnes Fire Department officials.
Also, a county health inspector is required to view the premises to make sure the restaurants are adequately cleaned post-prank call mess. Firefighters responded to the scene and helped with some clean up, the prank calls effectively tying up first responders.
Fire and Elk Grove police continue to investigate who made the calls.
Copyright 2016 The Sacramento Bee