FDNY closes 'death trap' haunted house in Queens

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The FDNY has shut down a haunted house in Queens, citing safety concerns over the attraction, which features a maze, escape room, and even offers overnight stays, ABC News 7 reports.
 

Touted as the top haunted house in New York City, the Halloween venue in Queens is being labeled a "real-life horror" by the FDNY. "We want everyone to enjoy Halloween—it's a fantastic holiday. I have kids myself—but we need people to do it safely. What we found is a death trap," said FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker.
 

Fire officials discovered the haunted house, called "A Haunting in Hollis," located at the corner of 212th Street and Hollis Avenue. After alerting the Bureau of Fire Prevention, inspectors entered and found numerous violations, including blocked exits, combustible materials, and unsafe electrical practices.
 

"The building had been significantly altered inside, with a high fire load and lots of plastic hanging around," said FDNY Chief of Fire Prevention Thomas Currao. "There was even an illegal smoke machine. You couldn’t find a more hazardous space. Thankfully, we were made aware of it."
 

The Department of Buildings issued a full vacate order, and the attraction's owners were hit with multiple summonses.

A woman reported being injured after allegedly falling down a "dangerous and defective slide" inside A Haunting in Hollis on October 13, 2023. Her complaint claims that the defendants had "actual notice of this defective condition for at least fifteen (15) days prior to the incident."
 

Despite the vacate order, Eyewitness News was told via text from the number listed on the haunted house's website that the venue would reopen on Friday.
 

As of Wednesday afternoon, tickets were still available for purchase.
 

When approached for comment, one of the individuals associated with the haunted house stated she was not allowed to speak on the matter and could not confirm if it would open on Friday.

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