'Death trap' haunted house shut down in New York

HOLLIS, Queens -- The FDNY has shut down a haunted house in Queens, saying the spooky attraction that offers a maze, escape room and even overnight stays is unsafe.

They dubbed themselves the number one haunted house in New York City, but the FDNY says the Halloween attraction in Queens is a real life horror.

"We want everyone to enjoy Halloween, it's a great, great holiday, I have children, but we want them to do it safely, and that is a death trap that we came upon," said FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker.

Fire officials say members of the department came across the home on the corner of 212th Street and Hollis Avenue which had been turned into "A Haunting in Hollis."

They alerted the Bureau of Fire Prevention, and once inside, the FDNY and officials with the buildings department found a slew of violations -- including blocked exits, use and accumulation of combustible materials and poor electrical practices.

"The building itself was the interior was altered, it had a very heavy fire load, there was a lot of plastic hanging," said FDNY Chief of Fire Prevention Thomas Currao. "There was a smoke machine that was illegal, like if you couldn't find a small place that had more hazards in it. But thank God we were alerted to it."

The Department of Buildings issued a full vacate order and the owners of the operation were given summonses.

A woman claimed she was injured as "a result falling down a dangerous and defective slide" inside a Haunting in Hollis on October 13, 2023. The complaint also claims the defendants had "actual notice of this defective condition for at least fifteen (15) days prior to October 13, 2023."

Despite the vacate order, after texting the number listed on the website, and despite the vacate order, Eyewitness News was told doors would be open on Friday.

And people were still able to purchase tickets as of Wednesday afternoon.

One of the people associated with the haunted house said she isn't allowed to comment and was unable to give a definitive answer as to whether it would be open Friday.