April Fools' Prank Triggers Mount Trashmore Chaos

0:00Back on April 1st, 1992, a radio prank in Virginia Beach turned a chill Wednesday morning into total chaos around Mount Trashmore. That popular park, built right on an old landfill, got hit with a fake alert from FM99 DJs, Henry the Bull, Del Toro, and Tommy Griffiths. They claimed methane gas had built up underneath, and the whole thing was about to blow sky-high. It was all in April Fools' joke, meant to be funny like that old war the world's broadcast. Listeners bought a hook, line, and sinker, picturing garbage raining down everywhere. Folks near the park freaked out, rushing families to emergency shelters in jamming up the city's 911 lines for over an hour. Parents pulled kids from field trips, and police had to roll up to the radio station to shut down the broadcast. City officials weren't laughing. They fouled a complaint with the FCC, calling it harmful to public safety since it tied up emergency resources. The station's vice-president apologized quick, saying it was never meant to go that far.

1:01The DJs got hit with a two-week suspension without pay, but FM99 kept them on the air after that. Shows how a simple gag can spiral, but they bounce back stronger. That's your update from Dallas News Today, powered by AI, I'm Corey with The Story.