From Halloween Flames to Emergency Calls: The Tale of a Festive Home Display
In the quiet town of Fountain Inn, South Carolina, Sam Lee and Amanda Riggins Peden have found themselves at the center of an unusual Halloween controversy. The couple, known for their elaborate holiday decorations, created a display that makes their home appear to be engulfed in flames—complete with orange glowing lights in every window and artificial smoke billowing from beneath the porch. What began as a festive celebration quickly turned into a series of emergency calls when concerned citizens reported their house as genuinely ablaze. On October 3rd, the very first night they activated their display, the local fire department received multiple 911 calls. The couple, not wanting to cause further alarm, took to Facebook with a video of their home, clarifying: “Our house will be on fire (not real fire) as Halloween decorations every night from 8-10 PM between now and October 31. Please do not call the fire department again!” Despite their plea, the calls have continued, albeit fewer than last year when the display first debuted and generated approximately 30 emergency reports throughout October.
The couple’s passion for Halloween isn’t new to the neighborhood—they’ve been creating elaborate decorations for five years. Lee, who formerly served as the mayor of Fountain Inn, and Peden understand that not everyone appreciates their creative expression. “Most people appreciate it, but you’ve got the one percent who are never happy with anything,” Lee explained. His partner echoed this sentiment, noting that while criticism exists, their 15-year-old son enjoys seeing their home gain attention across social media platforms like TikTok. Their flaming house display has indeed captured widespread attention—a recent TikTok video featuring their home has amassed nearly 25 million views, generating both admiration and concern from viewers around the world.
Public reaction to the display has been decidedly mixed, with some online commenters harshly criticizing what they see as a potentially dangerous decoration. “This should 100% be illegal,” wrote one concerned viewer, while another referenced the classic tale of the boy who cried wolf, suggesting the display could have unintended consequences if a real emergency occurs. Others worried about safety implications: “Change color. Think of your family’s safety—if it’s actually on fire and people tried to call it in, they’ll be dismissed.” Yet many viewers expressed appreciation for the realistic display, acknowledging they might have been fooled themselves: “Very cool! But looks very realistic! I would have been one of the people calling as well.” Another commenter praised the creativity while pointing out a legitimate concern: “This is dope AF, but what if you have a real fire and no one calls because they think it’s just the decorations.”
The situation has created challenges for the Fountain Inn Fire Department, led by Chief Russell Alexander, who confirmed that despite knowing the house isn’t actually burning, protocol requires them to respond to every call. “It’s bad practice to not send a truck and, ethically, I can’t take that liability,” Alexander explained. “If we get a call, we’re sending a truck, no matter what.” He noted that this year has seen fewer calls than last year’s initial deployment of the display, with only a few reports coming from people new to the area. Interestingly, Alexander pointed out that the decoration doesn’t actually resemble a genuine house fire from a professional perspective—real fires typically generate smoke that moves faster and appears in varying colors, distinguishing reality from this elaborate Halloween illusion.
The “fire house” is just the latest in a series of increasingly dramatic Halloween displays created by Lee and Peden. In 2021, they transformed their property into a mock aviation disaster scene, featuring a broken airplane filled with skeleton passengers—including one suspended from a tree by a parachute. The following year brought an equally macabre tableau: a staged car crash with an overturned van and a 12-foot skeleton trapped inside. This pattern of escalating creativity reflects the couple’s dedication to creating memorable Halloween experiences, with Lee acknowledging, “It’s just gotten crazier and crazier every year.” Their commitment to pushing the boundaries of seasonal decorating has clearly established them as Halloween enthusiasts willing to generate both admiration and controversy.
Despite the mixed reception and continued emergency calls, Lee and Peden remain committed to their Halloween traditions and creative expression. Their home, located about 20 miles outside of Greenville, has become something of a local landmark during the spooky season, drawing attention from passersby and social media users alike. While they’ve made efforts to inform the community about the nature of their display—running it only during limited evening hours and making public announcements—the realistic nature of their fiery creation continues to fool some observers. This tension between artistic expression and public safety concerns exemplifies a modern Halloween dilemma: how to create memorable, attention-grabbing displays without causing unnecessary alarm or emergency responses. As October continues and Halloween approaches, the couple’s burning house illusion stands as a testament to both creative ingenuity and the unexpected complications that can arise when holiday decorations appear too realistic for comfort.
