Halloween decorations catch fire outside Cornelius Walmart

This morning before 5:45, firefighters were called to the Walmart at 220 N Adair Street in Cornelius for a reported fire outside the store. When the first crew arrived, they found a display involving hay and pumpkins on fire in front of the store. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the flames, but spent almost an hour breaking the hay bales apart and cooling down the hot spots. Luckily, no parts of the building burned.

After investigating the cause of the fire, it was determined that the bales of hay were placed on top of in-ground spot lights used to illuminate the American flag. These lights were extremely hot and with direct exposure to the lights overnight, the hay was able to easily catch fire.

With Halloween right around the corner, this is a great reminder to cautious with any and all decorations used. Especially hay and corn stalks, it is vital to keep them away from things that can get hot like fire places, stoves, kitchen appliances, and light fixtures. It's also really important that you keep exit paths and doors clear and accessible at all times.