White House is packed: prank caller calls 911 to say the house was on fire and someone was trapped inside

Fire trucks and ambulances swarmed the White House Monday morning after a caller told 911 dispatchers that the building was on fire and someone was trapped inside in what appears to be a “swatter” incident.

President Joe Biden was at Camp David when the call came. DC Fire and Emergency Services dispatched 13 units in response.

But the call was quickly determined to be a false alarm. The White House now appears to be the latest victim of the dangerous “swatting” trend sweeping the country.

The call was made around 7am on Monday morning and prompted a major emergency response before it was determined to be a false alarm.

The call to the White House was traced to a fake number, a source told CNN.

The call, which came in at 7:03 a.m., was determined to be a false alarm by the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services and U.S. Secret Service personnel.

“Fire at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,” a DC dispatcher said at 7:04 am.

At 7.15 am ‘all clear’ was declared

A person reached at the callback number for the 911 report indicated they had not posted it, a source told the Associated Press, indicating it was likely spoofed.

Biden will return to the White House on Monday afternoon after spending most of the day in Philadelphia for a service event honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

There has been an increase in the number of ‘swatting’ incidents in the United States, where a false report is made to police for the express purpose of luring them to a location.

Law enforcement experts say the calls come amid a hostile political climate during an intense presidential election season. Politicians like Republican Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Republican Florida Senator Rick Scott, and Special Counsel Jack Smith have all suffered.

President Joe Biden spent the weekend at Camp David and was not at the White House at the time of the hoax call

A fire truck is parked outside the White House in Washington, December 19, 2007

Last week, police in Long Island’s Nassau County responded to the home of Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over Donald Trump’s civil fraud case, after he received a call about a bomb threat. A provincial police spokesperson said they are investigating it as a ‘swatting incident’.

The Justice Department has expressed concern about the threats.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said last week that they are investigating an increasing number of threats against public figures.

“At the same time that we are seeing an encouraging downward trend in violent crime, we are also witnessing a deeply disturbing spike in threats against those who serve the public,” Garland said.

In addition to government officials, high-profile celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus Tom Cruise, Ashton Kutcher, Justin Bieber and Kim Kardashian have also been victims of the practice.

Making such a call regarding a high-profile individual could lead to a strong response from local police and SWAT teams, who have no way of knowing that the call is a hoax.