Haunted Heartbreak: Illinois fire-safety codes shut down Du Quoin 8th grade haunted house even before it opens

Only two days before the planned opening of a three-day haunted house, the fundraiser to benefit the Du Quoin Middle School 8th grade graduating class was shut down because it falls short of the fire safety guidelines under the "Amusements" classification of the Illinois fire code.

The Du Quoin Middle School eighth grade class was to have hosted the haunted house at 119 East Perry Street on three days, tonight Thursday, Oct. 31; Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 2 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Eighth grade parent Christy Stewart explained, "We got permission from the city to have it." Yet, nobody told the fire department, which didn't get involved until this week. After inspecting the project the fire department said despite the hard work and heartbreak it falls woefully short of state fire codes specifically written to cover community benefit haunted houses.

Problems include--by the nature of a haunted house--no marked exits, exits largely blocked by the reconfiguration of the house to create the halloween mood, obstacles that prevent a safe escape and a corn maze put up inside the house.

The interior of the layout was set up to create a path for the anticipated 300 to 500 Halloween revelers who were going to buy tickets to help the 8th grade with its graduation plans.

"Everything is compromised in the house," said one fire department spokesman.

After hearing the fire department's arguments, 8th grade parents and students honestly understood the problems they had not considered, but that doesn't take away their pain from spending long hours on the fundraising project.

Stewart said there are no other locations that can easily be converted into another haunted house at this late date and the project was cancelled.