Fast Food Fire Foam Fake-Outs

FAST FOOD FIRE FOAM FAKE-OUTS Acting on the orders of a prank caller, managers of 2 local Arby’s locations recently ended up spraying foam all over their kitchen and food-prep areas. The caller, claiming to be from the local fire department, said that the system had been turned off, but instructed the manager in each instance to pull the lever that activates the fire suppression equipment — to allow the department to perform a test. At the Arby’s on Garth Rd. in Baytown, the foam caused at least $600 in physical damage and significantly more in loss of business during the cleanup. At an Arby’s in Clear Lake, employees “followed the instructions from the caller even further and broke out the windows of the restaurant, according to [Baytown Detective Lt. Eric] Freed. The Jack-In-The-Box on Decker Drive in Baytown also got a similar call, but did not do anything that the caller said to do, he said.” [Baytown Sun]

6 Comment

  • Kudos to the Jack-in-the-Box manager for not listening.

    If the local fire department is going to test or check the system, they would come in person and not over the phone. On top of that, the test can happen without activating anything.

  • Reminds me of an e-mail from a Nigerian prince who needed help moving money out of his country. He’s willing to share his fortune. All he needs is your bank account information to move the cash.

  • I think this probably says more about the relative hiring standards of Arby’s compared to Jack in the Box than anything else. What were they thinking whilst breaking out the windows?

  • Another argument for year around school!

  • “From Sarahc:
    Another argument for year around school!”

    Well stated.

  • “Pull my lever.” Fffff-f-f-f-f-fffff….