Some people who saw a Fountain Inn, South Carolina, home glowing orange in October 2025 went straight to the fire station a block away. The windows appeared to flicker with flames, but the apparent blaze was a Halloween display created by homeowners Sam Lee and Amanda Riggins Peden. WYFF News 4
The illusion had fooled people before
Lee told WYFF that the couple had set up a similar display in 2023. The International Association of Fire and Rescue Services, citing the local fire chief, reported that the department received around 30 calls that October. That estimate refers to the first year of the display. In 2025, video of the house circulated online, bringing the illusion to a wider audience. CTIF coverage · WYFF News 4
Why firefighters still responded
The homeowners gave the department advance notice. Even so, the fire chief told The State that crews sent a truck when a call came in. People seeing the house for the first time had no way to know what the crew already knew about the display. The State reporting via FireRescue1
The display also led to a conversation about real fires. The Red Cross approached the department about a safety talk, and firefighters told WYFF they wanted to cover working smoke alarms, more than one way out of a home and a place for household members to meet outside. WYFF News 4