Calls to 911 reporting a house on fire were triggered by a California family’s Halloween decorations, but the flames and smoke were really a festive special effect.
On Halloween, passersby mistook the orange lights in their windows and fog from a smoke machine for a real fire, drawing attention to Carmen and Travis Long’s Riverside house.
Concerned observers called 911 to report the show, but the local fire department was aware of it and informed them that it was all special effects.
Previously, firefighters were dispatched to the Longs’ residence to inspect the 2020 version of the display, which included a smaller-scale fire effect.
The Longs said the fake fire was inspired by Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean amusement park ride, as did the remainder of their Halloween show.
Carmen Long tells the media on 2020, “My husband ‘stole’ the idea from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland,”
He added, “It’s just satin cloth, an orange light, a red light, and a fan.”
The Longs’ home has a fire alarm system, according to the fire department, which will inform the department if there is an actual fire.