Windsor Homeowners’ Halloween Attraction Temporarily Halted Following Complaint to Fire Department

Two Riverside homeowners had to temporarily suspend their annual Halloween charity show Thursday after a complaint to the Windsor Fire Department prompted a visit from an inspector.

And one of the owners took to social media Thursday night to boo the person who filed the complaint.

“A ‘hero’ who hates the homeless, the underprivileged, community spirit and fun has filed a complaint with the WFD and as such we are closed until further notice while we deal some things,” Todd Dunford posted on Facebook.

“We’re sorry that someone who had nothing in their life felt the need to ruin everyone’s good time.”

Firefighters asked Dunford and Nancy McDowall-Dunford to remove hay bales from the haunted house-like attraction – which is built from four portable tent-like garages – to put up “emergency exit” signs and “no smoking”, and having fire extinguishers lit. hand and do not allow more than five escorted guests to pass through the scare zone at a time.

“My wife, she’s twisted”

“My wife is out shopping as we speak,” Dunford told CBC when asked how long it would take to acquire the necessary signage and materials.

“And we hope to have that up and running tonight.”

The Dunfords started organizing this “home hangout” six years ago “because of my wife – she’s twisted,” Dunford said.

The tour experience zigzags about 60 meters up and down the couple’s long driveway.

The duo uses pallets to build a maze inside the portable garages and fill it with spooky scenes and animatronic ghouls; they also recruit local children to dress up and scare visitors.

Thousands of people visit each year, Dunford said, and yes, there is candy for everyone.

Two or three years ago, the Dunfords turned the show into a charitable initiative, acquiring a casket they called the “Kindness Casket” and using it to collect donations of food, toiletries, hats, mittens and scarves for Windsor-Essex Family Services and the Feeding Riverside volunteer group, which helps homeless people.

Last year, donations filled three minivans, Dunford said.

Lined up in the street

Dunford said the fire department’s most complex request will be to restrict traffic in the haunted corridors.

The line to get in already stretches down the street, he said.

Windsor Fire Rescue Acting Fire Prevention Chief John Smith was the inspector who visited the Dunfords on Thursday.

He said he was following up on a complaint made to Fire Chief Stephen Laforet by someone who had encountered Laforet in public.

He confirmed Dunford’s account of the safety requirements he asked the couple to follow, including fire extinguishers, exit signs and capacity limits.

Nancy McDowall-Dunford was “remarkably cooperative and understanding about the situation,” he said.

Smith said anyone holding events in tent areas must use tent equipment certified to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) standard.

They should also avoid using dry, highly combustible materials such as straw or dried corn stalks.

Electrical cords must be kept away from combustible materials and there can be absolutely no open flames, including candles.

Additionally, Smith said, operators of such attractions must have a fire safety plan.