'Burning House?' Halloween Display in South Carolina Was So Realistic, Neighbours Dialled 911

Halloween is just right around the corner, and this South Carolina couple has turned their home into a fiery spectacle so convincing that neighbours keep dialling 911, mistaking the decor for a real blaze.

Realistic 'Burning House' Halloween Display

The 'burning house' belongs to Amanda Riggins Peden and Sam Lee, a couple based in Fountain Inn, South Carolina. At night, the house seems to be fully engulfed in flames, with windows glowing fiery orange, and smoke spilling through it. It's so realistic that newcomers in the neighbourhood call 911 even before realising that the house isn't actually burning.

Even now—two years later—the local fire department still gets calls from panicked drivers. The couple said they pulled off the fiery illusion with a smoke machine, orange lights, and layered visual effects.

According to Lee, setting this kind of Halloween display can take several hours or even a whole day, and the convincing effect comes down to smart lighting and camera tricks.

While their home is 'burning', the family sits comfortably inside, eating dinner and watching TV, even listening for sirens in the distance. 'We can hear the trucks coming before we see them,' they shared.

By morning, the smoke clears and the house returns to normal. But once the night falls, it will once again 'burn' until Halloween.

With such an amazing display, trick-or-treaters expect something special. Lee said, 'We like to give out the full-sized candy bars on Halloween — we're "that house".'

Couple Begs Neighbours To Stop Dialling 911

The couple has repeatedly asked their neighbours to stop calling 911 and the fire department over this outrageous Halloween display. They even posted a public message on Facebook: 'Our house will be on fire (not real fire) every night from 8 to 10 p.m. until Halloween. Please do not call the fire department again!'

Speaking to NBC News, Lee said ' I think they got about 30 calls the first year, and I think they may have had three or four this year.'

The couple has issued a disclaimer for those who disapprove—the fire department has been notified about it, and is fully aware of the display.

However, Fountain Inn Fire Chief Russell Alexander told Today that they still receive calls and respond to each of them, 'If we get a report of fire, we're going. It's bad practice not to.'

Chief Alexander also applauds the couple for using social media to inform their neighbours, saying 'They've done a pretty good job of trying to get it out on social media: "Hey, please don't call the fire department. Our house is not on fire".'

'Burning House' Gone Viral

The 'burning house' has also gone viral on TikTok. App user @themillerstok has posted a video on the platform and has garnered over 30.6 million views and 3.5 million likes.

People have a mixed take on the Halloween display. One said 'It does look cool, but that honestly should be illegal. Ever heard of the boy who cried wolf lol.'

Another warned, 'It's all fun and games until you actually have a real fire and all the fire stations are like, "Nah, we ain't falling for that one again".'

One even criticised the decor, saying, '[I] just don't see the point of this display! A house fire is a devastating and often deadly event. Should not be viewed as entertaining.'

Some have urged the couple to look into 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf', a fable about how repeated false alarms can cause people to stop believing the truth.

Apparently, the couple's Halloween set-up has always been a local legend—staging different scenarios, from a plane crash in 2021 to a car accident in 2022—but their 'burning house' is by far their most iconic creation.