New York Casino Jake’s 58 Evacuated After Chemical Smell

On Friday, Sept. 6, Jake’s 58 Casino was evacuated following a chemical-like smell. The evacuation occurred at around 1 pm ET. Guests were allowed back at around 2:45 pm ET. 

Latest Update

As mentioned, guests were evacuated and allowed back in within an hour and 45 minutes. After the incident, three employees were checked at a local hospital, but only as a precaution. The three employees who were transported to the hospital participated in a welfare check of a room with a strange smell coming from it. 

After emergency crews checked the property, they determined that nothing hazardous was located on-site. There’s no word on what caused the smell, though. 

Out of an abundance of caution, the hotel and casino were evacuated by local law enforcement,” said Jake’s 58 general manager, Michael Bonakdar, in a statement. “After a brief evacuation, it was determined that there was no threat to the public, and all patrons were able to re-enter the casino.”

Guests Feeling Dizzy

According to Newsday, one guest, 49-year-old Matthew Morano of Fire Island, New York, reported feeling dizzy amid the chemical smell. An EMT crew checked him out. 

They just wanted to check me out,” Morano said. “They offered me to go to the hospital, but I don’t need to take up a spot. I’m OK.”

Morano checked out of his room at about noon. He had a room on the seventh floor. He stayed in the lobby until about 1:30 pm ET. 

“All the sudden, medics started coming in with stretchers,” Morano recalled. “There was a big scene around here.”

Recent Shooting 

This incident comes after a shooting took place near Jake’s 58. A 24-year-old, Nashawn Legros, of Wyandanch, New York, was indicted for second-degree murder, first-degree assault, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. 

Legros was charged with shooting a 38-year-old fellow Wyandanch resident. 

“The victim made it inside of the casino before collapsing and received emergency care from casino staff and civilians before being transported to the hospital for emergency surgery,” prosecutors said.

Following the incident, the parent company of Jake’s 58 released a statement.

“We’re going to revamp and refresh everything we have, do new training for our workers, and work more closely with the Suffolk County Police Department who … did a great job,” said Phil Boyle, president and CEO of Suffolk Regional Off-Track Betting. This company owns Jake’s 58.