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South Carolina couple's burning house Halloween decoration sparks 911 calls. Watch
A viral video of Sam Lee and Amanda Riggins Peden's "fire house" decoration in South Carolina faced backlash on TikTok
A couple from South Carolina has landed in hot water over their ‘fiery' and elaborate Halloween decoration. Sam Lee and Amanda Riggins Peden, who are engaged, have requested people in their neighborhood to stop calling 911, as this year they have made their home appear as if it has been engulfed in flames, TODAY.com reported.
Speaking with the news outlet, the couple shared that the fire department received multiple calls when they turned on the setup at their house in Fountain Inn on October 3. “Please do not call the fire department,” they said.
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South Carolina couple's ‘fiery’ Halloween decoration
At first glimpse, the décor appears to be a smoky light show that has been made using special effects to give the illusion of a burning home. A close look at it shows lights appearing as orange glowing flames across all the windows of the house. It is accompanied by thick clouds of smoke that can be seen coming out from under the porch.
This is not the first time that Sam and Amanda have come into the spotlight for their Halloween decorations. They tried similar things in 2023 as well. Begging their neighbors not to make calls on 911, the couple even shared a video of their house on Facebook and assured people that the display is a mere festive illusion and not real flames.
“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," Amanda wrote on the social media platform.
A former mayor of Fountain Inn, Lee, shared that they first displayed the "fire house" in 2023. Their home is situated nearly 20 miles outside of Greenville. “Most people appreciate it, but you’ve got the one percent who are never happy with anything,” Lee told TODAY.com.
Amanda said there is always "going to be someone who doesn’t like it”. But she noted that the couple's 15-year-old son loves to witness their house going viral all over TikTok.
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Fire department issues statement
Fountain Inn Fire Department Chief Russell Alexander told TODAY.com that they have received as many as 30 calls in October regarding the couple's house since the display first went up.
“The first year, we were inundated with phone calls from people driving by the home,” Alexander said and added, “This year hasn’t been as bad... we’ve only had a few calls from people who are new to the area.”
The official stated that the fire department is sending a truck every time they get a call from the neighborhood to ensure the safety of citizens.
“It’s bad practice to not send a truck and, ethically, I can’t take that liability,” Alexander said.
FAQs:
Where is the viral TikTok "burning house" located?
It is situated in Fountain Inn in South Carolina.
When is Halloween 2025?
It will be observed on October 31.
Who are Sam Lee and Amanda Peden?
The engaged couple from South Carolina is famous for their Halloween decorations.
