PROVO, Utah (AP) – Some people are feeling misled after finding out a July 4 ceremony during which they thought an American flag was burned in retirement didn’t really happen.

The Stadium of Fire event in Provo was viewed by 47,500 people. At the end of the night, a flag used at the event for more than a decade was put in a container and large torches were lighted on top, giving some the impression the flag had burned.

But event organizer Brad Pelo says the Provo City fire marshal said two months before the event that they couldn’t burn the flag because the blaze could be hard to control and could have emitted toxic fumes.

Blog, Twitter and other online comments indicated some onlookers felt deceived.

Pelo says the giant flag, which is still intact, is considered retired. He says it will be burned later.


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