A special effect on a billboard over the MRT Guadalupe Station prompted firefighters to respond to the scene, where the smoke turned out to be fake.
Facebook user Kerv De Villa on Monday, June 22, posted a video of a fire truck stopping below the MRT station platform in response to what was initially believed to be a burning billboard.
The billboard was promotional material for the premiere of the third season of “House of the Dragon,” a prequel to the popular HBO series “Game of Thrones.”
Part of its effects showed simulated smoke emerging from the edges of the display, along with fire-themed-design.
“Malakas na usok sa MRT Guadalupe station. Style lang pala ng billboard,” De Villa wrote, accompanied by emojis of rolling-on-the-floor laughing faces and a grinning-with-sweat face.
“Wow mali ang billboard. Pinuntahan tuloy ng mga fire truck,” the text in the video read.
The post has garnered 762,000 views, 8,300 likes and laugh reactions, 2,600 shares and over 450 comments.
De Villa explained that he was not the one who called the firefighters, adding that his car was parked nearby.
“Hindi po ako ang tumawag ng bumbero. Nama-malengke lang po ako, nagkataon na diyan naka-park ang sasakyan ko,” he wrote in the comments section.
The video caught the attention of someone claiming to be a fire volunteer, who said he felt the incident was “most likely” a marketing stunt to promote the “House of the Dragon” series.
“Most likely, ang nangyari, is may marketing team na sa kagustuhang i-promote ang House of the Dragon, gumawa ng gimmick [or] stunt na gawing itsurang makatotohanan ang billboard na sinamahan pa ng smoke machine. Positive man o Negative Publicity is still PUBLICITY. Kaso may mali,” Vielo Baniqued wrote.
“Sure din akong ‘yung CALLER na tumawag ng mga bumbero ay sadyang may malasakit lang sa kapwa at maaring hindi niya alam na pakulo lang ito. Maaari din naman na nakita niya mula sa ibang anggulo na hindi kita ang Billboard,” he added.
“What went wrong was, maaaring HINDI NAKIPAG-COORDINATE ang naturang marketing [or] advertising team sa LGU [local government unit] such as BFP [Bureau of Fire Protection] and/or etc,” Baniqued wrote.
“Kasi kung coordinated ‘yan, maipapasa ng BFP [ang] info sa mga fire volunteers,” he added.
“Bilang isang bumbero, mas mainam nang tumakbo kami at walang sunog na abutan, kaysa naman sa malaki na tapos doon lang kami tatakbo. Overall, isang matikas na saludo sa inyo, Raymart Eufracio at sa Fire Volunteers ng Post Proper Northside, EJ Cabalhin at ang Guadalupe Viejo Fire and Rescue, na naunang dumating na nasa southbound lane ng EDSA,” Baniqued continued
He added that management later turned off the smoke machine used for the billboard’s effects.
Meanwhile, “House of the Dragon” is a series set 200 years before the events of theK”Game of Thrones.”
It tells the story of House Targaryen, particularly the events leading up to its decline.
