NIGHT OF FRIGHT DESTROYED BY FIRE

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Around 3 AM on Friday, November 17 2000, unknown parties broke into the Night Of Fright and set it ablaze. The photo above (from the Nov 18 Enquirer, by Tony Jones-and believe it or not, this IS a color photo) shows the result-heavy damage to the top story and roof (completely missing in the left side of the picture), and to the distinctive neon sign mounted on the front of the building. Fires were set in at least two different spots in the building and caused $30,000 in damage. The Enquirer is gulity (again) of somewhat sloppy journalism, as they imply that Night Of Fright had NO sprinkler system when it fact it does in most areas...they had received an extension from the Ohio Court Of Building Appeals for four years to finish the job. Two firemen suffered minor injuries and it took about an hour to put it out with companies from Mason, Loveland, Deerfield Township, and Sycamore Township. Firefighters would not enter the house until after the blaze was extinguished due to concerns about the layout of the maze trapping them inside (although there were plenty of fire exits).
Around 5 AM Sunday, November 19, firefighters were again called to the scene for yet another blaze. $60,000 worth of damage was incurred in this fire bringing the total to $90,000. This time the haunt did not survive...little more than chimneys and a few first floor walls were left. The chimneys were soon toppled as well and the remains await the embrace of a bulldozer.
The distinctive concrete gargoyles that flanked the front porch of the structure are all that remains, along with several trees in the front yard that were carved into horrific figures. Manager Frank Sester hopes to salvage the gargoyles as a memento of fears past, and there is talk of the fine group of actors the house employed banding together to form a group like Cleveland's famed Legion Of Terror. The haunt's plans for a Nightmare Before Christmas style event never got to see the light of day (or the dark of night). As Dave Bloom put it, he is now the manager of the "pile of ashes formally known as Night Of Fright".
Once again we see that the real horror is not inside haunted events but within the bitter souls of idiots with nothing better to do than destroy the work of others.