Latest news with #falsealarm
CTV News
2 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Toronto man hit with $1,600 bill for ‘nuisance' fire alarm
A Toronto man said he received a $1,680 bill because he was cooking something in a condo and it apparently set off the fire alarm, triggering a "false" call. (CTV News Toronto) Toronto Fire Services respond to false alarm calls everyday, totalling thousands of nuisance calls each year. However, sending out fire trucks and crews is expensive, which is why residents could be charged if there's not an actual fire to respond to. One Toronto man said he received a $1,680 bill because he was cooking something in a condo and it apparently set off the fire alarm. 'I would have heard it,' Mike Wuestefeld told CTV News. Wuestefeld rents a unit in a condo building in the city and said there have been problems in the past with people maliciously pulling fire alarms. The building has cameras, smoke detectors and fire alarms in the hallways and Wuestefeld said he was told in February that the alarm outside his unit went off because he was cooking and smoke filled the hallway. However, he doesn't recall that happening and said he rarely uses his stove. 'I know I didn't set the alarm off. I didn't hear it. If it would have gone off, I would have heard it ring in the apartment.' Wuestefeld said his landlord received a bill for $1,680 from the Toronto Fire Department for a 'nuisance' false alarm and he was told it's a bill he's responsible for paying. According to the Toronto Fire Services, false alarms tie up staff and fire trucks, taking crews away from the legitimate calls. In a statement sent to CTV News, a spokesperson with the service said, 'The City of Toronto introduced False Fire Alarm Charges to encourage property owners to ensure their fire alarm systems are properly maintained and functioning as intended.' 'The goal is to enhance public and firefighter safety, while also protecting City assets by ensuring Toronto Fire Services' resources are used effectively and efficiently and are available for true emergencies when they are needed most... We recognize and understand that this process can be frustrating for residents.' CTV News also reached out to Wuestefeld's building management, but the property manager said smoke was coming from Wuestefeld's unit which did cause the fire department to come. 'It was very clear there was smoke coming from the unit and the fire department was there specifically for that unit,' said property manager Essam Abrahim. Toronto does have an application for reimbursement of false alarm administration fees that residents can apply for if they have a concern about a false alarm charge. Wuestefeld plans to have the charge he's being asked to cover reviewed, because he feels he shouldn't have to pay it. 'I can't afford it. I really can't,' said Wuestefeld. According to the City, an alarm is not considered false if it's caused by 'severe' weather, accidental damage, or the possibility of carbon monoxide. And, since they started charging for false fire alarms, they say the number of calls has gone down dramatically.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Loud bang at Wellington Hospital false alarm
The cause of the loud bang at Wellington Hospital couldn't be identified. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER Fire crews were called to Wellington Regional Hospital this morning after reports of a loud bang, which they say was a false alarm. Wellingtonians in several parts of the city reported hearing the bang. Fire and Emergency New Zealand said crews were called to the hospital about 10am. A fire communications spokesperson said it was a false alarm, and they didn't know what caused the bang. RNZ has asked Health New Zealand what happened. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Bloomberg
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Lithuanian Leaders Evacuated Amid Combat-Drone False Alarm
Lithuanian leaders were taken to a shelter after a false alarm about a combat drone entering the Baltic nation's airspace from neighboring Belarus. Initially believing the flying object could represent a danger, possibly a Shahed drone of the type Russia deploys against Ukraine, authorities evacuated Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas and Parliamentary Speaker Saulius Skvernelis to a safe location, local news service BNS reported.
CBS News
05-07-2025
- CBS News
Milpitas woman suspected of hiding child, falsely reporting him missing
Milpitas Police on Saturday said they arrested a woman suspected of falsely reporting her child missing. Police identified the suspect as 46-year-old resident Rohnita Prasad. According to police, Prasad reported her 9-year-old son missing on Thursday morning. Milpitas Police, Santa Clara County Search and Rescue, and community volunteers joined a search for the boy, and he was eventually found safe. But Milpitas Police said during the search, they found that he had been intentionally hidden. Police said Prasad had hidden him and then falsely reported him missing. She was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment, intimidating or dissuading a witness or victim and filing a false police report and booked into the Santa Clara County Jail. Milpitas Police said the county Department of Family and Children Services is currently trying to determine where to place Prasad's son. "The safety and well-being of our community, especially our children, remains our top priority," Milpitas Police said. "We take all reports involving missing children seriously and will continue pursuing the truth with diligence and integrity. "
CBS News
10-06-2025
- CBS News
Detroit man charged with making bomb threats against Macomb County shelter
A Detroit man is accused of making false bomb threats to the Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter Team's building in Mount Clemens. On June 7, Aramis Marquis Smith, 33, allegedly used a TextNow number to call the Macomb County nonprofit and reportedly said, "You need to leave, there may be a bomb in the building." A pair of bomb-sniffing K-9 teams searched the shelter's building and found no bomb. Following the search, Smith allegedly placed four more calls to the nonprofit's staff, reportedly saying, "You still are not safe." Officials say Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter Team staff recognized Smith's voice, and the TextNow number was traced back to Smith. He was later arrested while sitting across the street from the nonprofit's building. Following an investigation by the Macomb County Sheriff's Office, Smith is charged with one count of false report or threat of terrorism and one count of false report of threat of bomb/harmful device. He was arraigned and given a $5,000 bond. "The gravity of this offense and its impact on MCREST and the services it provides to the public are serious. We will fully prosecute this reckless and intentional behavior to hold this individual accountable for his actions," said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido. Smith is back in court on June 23 for a probable cause conference, with a preliminary examination date to follow.
