Restaurant Damage in Northern California Due to Crank Callers

Several restaurants in Northern California were damaged after suspected prank callers tricked workers into testing their fire suppression system.

Elk Grove officials said three such incidents were reported in July to the Cosumnes Fire Department. Restaurant staff at Five Guys, Wendy’s and Panera Bread received calls asking them to test their fire suppression system.

Staff members at Five Guys and Wendy’s activated their systems, which discharged a suppression agent that made a mess and forced the restaurants to close for the night.

The manager at Panera declined to activate the system.