Nov. 1 (UPI) — A California family’s Halloween decorations prompted calls to 911 about a house on fire — but the flames and smoke were merely a festive special effect.
Carmen and Travis Long drew attention to their Riverside home on Halloween when passersby confused the orange lights in their windows and fog from a smoke machine for an actual blaze.
The display prompted calls to 911 from concerned witnesses, but the local fire department was aware of the display and assured callers that it was all special effects.
Firefighters were previously called to the Longs’ home to investigate the 2020 version of the display, which included a smaller-scale fire effect.
The Longs said the faux fire, like the rest of their Halloween display, was inspired by the Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean amusement park ride.
“My husband ‘stole’ the idea from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland,” Carmen Long told WTVT-TV in 2020. “It’s just satin cloth, an orange light, a red light, and a fan.”
The fire department said the Longs have a fire alarm system in their home that will alert the department if there is a real fire at the house.