Yarmouth Haunted Maze Reinstated After Ordered Shut Down
YARMOUTH (CBS) – A Cape Cod haunted maze, open for more than a decade, is shut down by town inspectors just before Halloween. Some say it's a battle between "fun" and "safety." On Friday, the dispute landed in court.
Halloween is a really big deal for John Mitsis and Helen Walker. They've been setting up a haunted maze at their Yarmouth home for 11 years.
"It's a lot of fun. We have a lot of people who come every year and they don't know what to do," says Helen.
That's because the authorities told them to shut down.
"We're talking about a structure that was never permitted. It basically violates building code and safety," says Yarmouth Deputy Fire Chief John Sawyer.
"We have to take everything serious. We don't want to be the ones to go back after there's a tragedy," he added.
While neighbors worked on the setup, adding extra fire extinguishers, exit signs and even cameras, John Mitsis decided to fight city hall, asking a judge to rule against the cease and desist order. Late this afternoon, a judge decided the maze can operate.
"They gave the assumption we didn't have a lot of the safety things they wanted, but we did, and we do," says Mitsis.
So tonight and tomorrow, the spooky tradition continues.
"I'm extremely happy. I'll be on my way to get my haunted house ready for tonight," Mitsis said.
John and Helen started the event in honor of their son's birthday, which is on Halloween.
