'DEATH TRAP': City issues vacate order to Halloween spook house in Queens

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – The City shut down a Halloween spook house in Queens this week after FDNY and buildings inspectors discovered multiple violations.

The Department of Buildings issued a full vacate order for the two-family residence at 212th Street and Hollis Avenue that houses “A Haunting in Hollis.”

The DOB said its joint inspection with the FDNY found “the location had been illegally converted into a commercial haunted house amusement, with a maze outside of the building.”

At the time of the inspection, there were 40 paying customers inside the attraction, the DOB said.

According to inspectors, three new staircases had been constructed inside the building, fireproofing material had been removed from the walls at multiple locations, and egress routes in the building were blocked.

The DOB issued three violations to the property owners for failure to maintain the building; work without a permit; and occupancy contrary to city records.

FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker told WABC-TV the attraction was a “death trap,” while FDNY Chief of Fire Prevention Thomas Currao said, “you couldn’t find a small place that had more hazards in it.”

Someone associated with the haunt told the outlet that they couldn’t comment and weren’t sure if it would reopen by Friday.