With Halloween just over a week away, the Billings Fire Prevention Bureau wants to remind everyone that some haunted houses can be scary for more than just the spooky thrills.
“The fun attributes involved with haunted houses are extremely dangerous in the event of a fire. Haunted houses typically create limited visibility, disorientation, and do not have the proper fire protection systems to protect occupants in an emergency,” said Billings Fire Marshal Jaime Fender.
Haunted houses fall under fire code requirements for Special Amusement Buildings.
The International Fire Code lists detailed requirements, including a fire detection system that automatically illuminates directional exit signs and a way out, stops all sound effects, and begins playing a prerecorded voice message that can be heard throughout the building, instructing patrons to proceed to the nearest exit.
Just earlier this month, the New York Fire Department shut down a two-story house that was illegally converted into a haunted house, calling it a death trap. And that isn’t an overstatement. After eight teenagers died in the 1984 Haunted Castle fire, provisions were added to the fire code to prevent future tragedies.
Proper permits and inspections are required to transform any indoor space into a haunted house. Those can be obtained by contacting the Billings Fire Prevention Bureau. Without these in place, haunted houses are illegal in the City of Billings.
“The Billings Fire Department wants people to have fun on Halloween, but we also want them to be safe,” said Fire Marshal Fender.
To read the Special Amusement Building requirements within Billings City Limits, click here.