A seasonal central Mississippi staple fell victim to a fire over the weekend.
For more than 20 years, The Dark Zone operated in the Crossgates area of Brandon as a haunted house, entertaining tens of thousands while also raising money to prevent human trafficking and child abuse. On Saturday, the facility in Rankin County was engulfed in flames to the point of total loss.
Several members and volunteers of the Exchange Club of Crossgates, the nonprofit that owns the attraction, were at the location working on a new wing that had been added to The Dark Zone in the past couple of months in preparation for the large crowds expected in October.
The group left the location around noon that day, taking a break from the Mississippi heat. Around 2 p.m., a fire began at the location and quickly swept through the complex.
With Halloween rapidly approaching, the haunted house was gearing up for a 23rd year of thrills, scares, and everything in between. However, plans to draw in crowds were squashed by the blaze as all items housed within the Woodgate Drive facility — tens of thousands of dollars in props, electronics, computers, materials — were destroyed. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.
Crews from the Brandon Fire Department, Pearl Fire Department, Langford Fire Department, and Brandon police successfully contained the blaze and prevented it from endangering neighboring structures.
“Please say a prayer for Brandon Fire Department and the other departments that responded who are doing their best out here,” a portion of a Facebook post from The Dark Zone reads. “We will be back, but please give us time to process this.”
Donations to the haunted house’s restoration efforts can be made here.
