A South Carolina couple turned their home into a burning house Halloween decoration so realistic that people have been reporting it as an actual fire.
To say Amanda Peden and Sam Lee are passionate about Halloween decorations would be an understatement. In 2021, they unveiled a broken plane with skeleton passengers, one of whom hung from a tree, secured by a parachute, in their front yard. A year later, they built a car accident, with an upside-down van featuring a skeleton stuck inside, but 2023 was their true breakout year. That’s when they showcased their burning home decoration for the first time. It’s a clever combination of smoke machines, deceptive lighting, and camerawork, but the effect is so realistic that even two years on, people still call the local fire department to report a house fire when they drive past the couple’s home for the first time.
“When Amanda first put this up two years ago, we were getting a constant stream of calls,” Fountain Inn Fire Chief Russell Alexander said. “This year, it’s not quite there, but as of Oct. 6, we’ve already had four calls.”
Alexander confirmed that his department is in constant contact with Amanda and Sam to make sure a real fire doesn’t break out. Every time the fire department gets a call about a fire at their house, firefighters call in to make sure the family is safe, and even send first responders there if the caller is really concerned. The fire department said that, in his view, the decoration doesn’t look like a real house fire, because the smoke rises too slowly and isn’t the right color, but to the untrained eye, it looks like the stuff of nightmares, just like Amanda and Sam intended it.
“My house is on fire (not a real fire). I’m turning on the lights every night from 8 to 10 p.m. until October 31st,” Amanda announced on Facebook and TikTok on October 4. “Please don’t call the fire department!”
The South Carolina couple have become local celebrities for their shockingly realistic Halloween decoration, but while some declare themselves in awe of its complexity, praising the owners for their ingenuity, others claim it should be illegal because it creates panic in the community.
Interestingly, although the Fountain Inn house appears to be burning, Amanda Peden, Sam Lee, and their 15-year-old son are safe inside doing everyday things like watching TV, having dinner, etc.
