New Rochelle Haunted House Cancelled

[rfdu39 89]

This years haunted house in New Rochelle has been cancelled due to the building not being up to code.

[Billy 68]

This years haunted house in New Rochelle has been cancelled due to the building not being up to code.

I maybe wrong but haven't they had this problem before at the haunted house? Only to open up at the last minute?

[EJS1810 7]

Is there a NYS Building code for Haunted Houses?

[ems-buff 81]

Is there a NYS Building code for Haunted Houses?

No there is no building code.... lol

The Haunted House was close do to the Fire chief not allowing the house to be put back into the armory after the orignal house was denied do to money issues.. It's very sad. I was looking forward to it this year....

[x635 4,066]

Is this the one that was at Wards Acres?

I remember when the Haunted House was open, 2000-ish. If my memory serves me correctly, New Rochelle FD used to have an overtime detail with an engine and charged hoseline when the event was open.

[cfman 1]

No, I think they stopped doing it at Ward Acres a few years back. They moved it to Main Street.

To answer your question, they did have NRFD at the haunted house with a charged hoseline at all times. I believe they had multiple PD and NRPD mobile precinct unit there as well.

[Guest PublicSafetyCollectibles]

The New Rochelle Haunted House Was Cancelled For A Number Of Reasons, And It Is VERY SAD That The City Did NOT Assist This Hard-Working Group Of Volunteers That Do A Fantastic Job Each Year Setting Up The Haunted House, A Lot Of Time And Labor Goes Into Making This A Memorable Event. As For Being Up To Code, The City Called The Group To City Hall A Few Weeks Ago On The Friday Before They Were To Start Work On The 2008 Version Of The New Rochelle Haunted House. They Were Informed That They Would Be ALLOWED To Have The Haunted House At The Armory If They Installed A Sprinkler System. This Was An Insane Request As The Armory Is Going To Be Razed To Make Way For High-End Condos And Housing On The Water. Even Though There Was A Stipulation That The Armory And It's Property Must Be Utilized For Recreational And Open Space Use The Powers In The ' Queen City Of The Sound ' Have Defied The Statute And Albany And Want To Turn This Property Over To A Developer. There Is A Committee To ' Save The Armory ' And They Have Been Lobbying Albany And Governor Paterson To Prevent The City From Razing This Historic Building. The Decision By New Rochelle Officials To End Their Relationship With The New Rochelle Haunted House Volunteers Is VERY VERY SAD, If Anyone Knows A Community, Developer, Builder That Would Be Willing To House This Event In 2009 Please E-Mail Me At Your Earliest Convenience. It's Location Does NOT Have To Be In New Rochelle As It Seems The City Is MORE Interested In 40-Story Buildings And High-End Development :angry:

[Bnechis 3,961]

The New Rochelle Haunted House Was Cancelled For A Number Of Reasons, And It Is VERY SAD That The City Did NOT Assist This Hard-Working Group Of Volunteers That Do A Fantastic Job Each Year Setting Up The Haunted House, A Lot Of Time And Labor Goes Into Making This A Memorable Event.......

Yes its sad that its not going to happen this year and yes a lot of hard work goes into this. This event is and has always been a fund raiser for the chamber of commerce. And every year I hear how the chamber want to run the house without police and fire protection because it cuts into the amount of money they make. What responsability does the city have to helping them raise funds and what responsability do they have to protect the public.

As For Being Up To Code, The City Called The Group To City Hall A Few Weeks Ago On The Friday Before They Were To Start Work On The 2008 Version Of The New Rochelle Haunted House. They Were Informed That They Would Be ALLOWED To Have The Haunted House At The Armory If They Installed A Sprinkler System. This Was An Insane Request As The Armory Is Going To Be Razed . The Decision By New Rochelle Officials To End Their Relationship With The New Rochelle Haunted House Volunteers Is VERY VERY SAD,

1) Technically, NYS UFP&BC does not allow a public assembly in a wood frame structure (Ward acres) and the city & the FD were so concerned about the safety of everyone that the chamber had to sprinkler the ward acres barn (which is falling down) and pay for an engine co. We were so concerned about having a disaster that we were required to make a hydrant, stretch in, then stretch a handline.

2) The Ward Acres barn was in such bad condition that the H.H. was moved to the armory. Which is also in bad condition and also requires sprinklers for use as a public assembly.

3) As a firefighter and then an officer who has work this detail, I can tell you I was uncomfortable with the conditions and the potential for large loss of life. I know a number of officers who felt so uncomfortable with the conditions that they will not work that detail. The level of responsability that the city has is huge and becomes very obvious when you see how many parents dropping there kids off. For those who do not think that a haunted house has an extra level of fire potential, look up the H.H. multi fatal fire at Great Adventure. As a parent I would not allow my child to go to this event with the extreme safety concerns that I have always had with this event.

4) The Armory was never considered for the 2008 Haunted House. I was asked back in the spring if I could think of another location. The props were moved to a building at the proposed site of the LeCount Square Development, which has been vacant for a number of years and NYS Code requires sprinklers for this site.

So why as firefighters are we so concerned with keeping this open, instead of protecting the public?

[TR54 239]

For those who do not think that a haunted house has an extra level of fire potential, look up the H.H. multi fatal fire at Great Adventure. As a parent I would not allow my child to go to this event with the extreme safety concerns that I have always had with this event.

The Haunted Castle at Six Flags Great Adventure was a haunted house attraction at Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park in Jackson Township, New Jersey. On May 11, 1984, eight teenage visitors were trapped and killed when the structure was destroyed by fire.

I remember the Great Adventure HH fatal fire in 1984. The senior class from Woodlands HS (Greenburgh) was at the park that day.