Haunted houses may pose real danger if not up to safety standards

They’re meant to scare you, but haunted houses could pose a real safety threat.

Fires, falling, or even seizures have been reported at these frightful attractions across the country.

Here in Mid-Missouri, these houses must pass an inspection before they are allowed to dim the lights and begin the scaring.

FearFest is an attraction just west of Columbia that was inspected by the Boone County Fire Protection District in September.

Greg Allen with FearFest said they had extra work to do since the house is more than 100 years old.

To prepare for the Halloween season, workers braced the floors and fixed termite damage. They also sprayed fire-retardant inside and outside of the structure.

The safety measures continue on a daily basis to ensure the worst thing you fear during your time at FearFest is just a frightening character.

“We have 42 security cameras throughout to make sure your journey through is safe. We also have 86 radios split between 110 employees to maintain communication,” Allen said. “And we have 10 security guards that work here and they’re all Boone County firemen.”

Allen said their safety measures have paid off because they’ve gone 10 years with little incident.

“It’s very important, safety is our main thing,” he said.