Tiong San store's collapse a hoax

Sunday, February 5, 2012

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Officials denied reports circulating through text messages that a department store here collapsed Thursday, leaving 90 people dead.

"There is no cause to panic, it is all not true," said Mayor Greg Abalos after sending a team to the Tiong San department store in this town to verify the report.

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Media workers and policemen also rushed to the area at Kilometer 4 to check if the department store really collapsed.

Abalos said the origin of the prank calls and text messages has not yet been confirmed, but it caused a bit of panic.

Messages continued to circulate until late evening detailing the alleged accident.

But Abalos said there was nothing wrong with the four-storey building owned and operated by the Lao family.

Municipal administrator Charles Canuto said the reports are not true, but admitted there was a slight problem in the store's electrical wiring system Sunday. The problem, he added, was corrected the same day.