Trick or treat.
A couple from South Carolina is urging their neighbors to refrain from calling 911 due to their over-the-top Halloween decorations that create the illusion of their house being on fire.
Sam Lee and Amanda Riggins Peden mentioned that on the very night they activated their striking display at their Fountain Inn residence on October 3, the local fire department received three to four calls reporting a house fire, as they relayed to Today.com.
The setup features lights that simulate orange, flickering flames in each window of the house and releases a thick cloud of smoke from beneath the porch.
In an effort to curb the 911 calls throughout the Halloween season, they shared a video of their house on Facebook to reassure the community that it was merely a festive illusion.
“Our house will be on fire (not real fire) as Halloween decorations every night from 8 PM to 10 PM until October 31,” Peden shared. “Please do not contact the fire department again!”
Lee, who previously served as mayor of Fountain Inn, stated that they have been erecting intricate decorations at their home, located around 20 miles from Greenville, for the past five years, and this is the first year they’ve showcased the “fire house” concept.
Although the cheerful display aims to spread holiday joy, the couple recognizes that not everyone will appreciate it.
“Most people enjoy it, but you always have that 1 percent who are never satisfied with anything,” Lee told Today.com.
“There will always be someone who doesn’t like it,” Peden remarked, adding that her 15-year-old son enjoys seeing their home trending on TikTok.
Fountain Inn Fire Chief Russell Alexander shared that when the decoration was first unveiled, the fire department responded to around 30 calls in October concerning the house.
“In the first year, we were flooded with calls from passersby, but this year hasn’t been as overwhelming… we’ve only received a few calls from newcomers to the area,” Alexander told Today.com.
Even though they know it’s just a decoration, Alexander mentioned that his department still dispatches a truck for every alarm—just to be cautious.
“Not sending a truck would be irresponsible, and ethically, I can’t take that chance,” Alexander explained. “Whenever we get a call, a truck goes out, no exceptions.”
A viral TikTok video featuring the house has been viewed nearly 25 million times since it was uploaded on Saturday, attracting a range of critical responses to the bold display.
“This should 100% be illegal,” commented one user.
“It looks cool, but honestly, that should be illegal. Ever heard of the boy who cried wolf?” remarked another.
“Change the color. Think about your family’s safety—if it’s actually on fire and people dismiss it, they’ll be in trouble,” warned one user.
On the flip side, many were captivated by the display’s realism.
“This is impressive! But it looks incredibly realistic! I would have been one who called as well,” said one commenter.
“This is fantastic! But what if there’s a real fire and no one calls because they think it’s just decorations?” another added.
While a few onlookers may be deceived into thinking the house is on fire, Alexander clarified that the Halloween display does not truly mimic a real house fire, which features faster-moving and color-variable smoke.
As for Lee and Peden, they intend to uphold their thrilling Halloween traditions.
In 2021, they turned their yard into a mock aviation disaster scene with a broken plane and skeleton passengers—one even dangling from a tree with a parachute.
The subsequent year, they staged a faux car crash with an overturned van and a 12-foot skeleton trapped inside.
“Each year, it just gets wilder and wilder,” Lee noted.
