New York City Fire Investigators Discover Illegal Gambling Den in Death-Trap Cellar

The discovery of a hidden underground gambling den in Manhattan on Tuesday was entirely accidental. FDNY inspectors were responding to a routine complaint about illegal lithium battery charging in Manhattan’s Chinatown.

But the uncertified lithium-ion batteries, of the kind known to have sparked multiple fatal fires across New York City in recent years, were only the first of many layers of lawlessness that revealed themselves to the inspectors in the death-trap basement beneath the connected buildings of 118-120 Elizabeth St.

Also revealing themselves were five bedrooms crammed with 10 cots, hot plates and space heaters yet no secondary exits.

“Due to the mazelike nature of the cellar, lack of secondary egress, and heavy clutter, all the sleeping areas were considered severe life risks,” the FDNY report read.

Gambling With Their Lives

Three storage rooms were also piled like garbage with counterfeit Prada bags and other combustible materials, and the front hall was lined with 17 illegal slot machines and a couch.

“What our Fire Prevention members found was a disaster waiting to happen,” FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker said.

The FDNY called for backup from the city’s Department of Buildings, which issued a vacate order for the residents of the cellar, and the NYPD Vice Squad, which confiscated the slot machines and counterfeit bags.

Two FDNY summonses and two criminal summonses were issued, through no arrests were made.