On December 23, a local San Francisco business owner was left with a medical bill after calling the fire department, the San Francisco Standard reported.
Mustafa Damrawi, who owns a women’s clothing and adult products store called Hot Zone, claims he was left with $560 in medical bills after calling 911. Damrawi called firefighters to extinguish the fire near the front door. Although the fire was quickly extinguished, he was shocked two months later when he received a bill from the San Francisco Fire Department demanding payment for medical services. according to San Francisco Standard.
The fire department received a report on March 7th. The invoice stated, “This is your third notice,” the retailer said. “Please act immediately to avoid further collection efforts.”
A sex shop owner is furious with the fire department for sending him a random medical bill after responding to a homeless encampment fire outside his business. https://t.co/hq8gEPllT4
— San Francisco Standard (@sfstandard) March 21, 2024
The number of camp fires has doubled in the past five years in a region plagued by homelessness and drug problems. Damrawi’s store has already dealt with vandalism and safety issues, but now it has more problems. “Can I just sit and watch the fire?” Damrawi said, the newspaper reported. “This building is made of wood. It’s going to catch fire.” (Related: Report: Police arrest firefighter, accused of intentionally starting multiple fires)
Following the store owner’s complaint, department spokesperson Justin Scholl acknowledged the error and explained that someone who received treatment during the incident mistakenly used Damrawi’s work address as his home, according to the San Francisco Standard. The paper reported. The ministry promised to dismiss the charges and stressed that people should report emergencies without fear of unreasonable fines.
“I encourage anyone who believes they are witnessing a fire or medical emergency to call 911 immediately,” Scholl said in a statement, according to the San Francisco Standard. “This issue should be resolved once the billing company is notified of our instructions.”
