Guests and employees were forced to leave Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel on New York’s Long Island after a chemical-like odor was detected on Friday. The evacuation began at 1 p.m., and after a thorough investigation, everyone was allowed back into the Islandia, N.Y. gaming property by about 2:45 p.m.
Three employees were taken to a local hospital as a precaution, reported Newsday, a regional news outlet. These employees had been conducting a welfare check in a hotel room when they noticed the strange smell.
Emergency response teams, including Suffolk County police officers, firefighters, and EMS staff, were alerted and conducted a comprehensive search of the property. According to News 12 Long Island, a cable news outlet, nothing hazardous was found, and the cause of the suspicious odor remains unknown.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the hotel and casino were evacuated by local law enforcement,” Michael Bonakdar, general manager of Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel, said 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.”
One guest, Matthew Morano, 49, of Fire Island, N.Y., mentioned he had felt a little dizzy and was examined by an EMT crew. “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 had checked out of his seventh-floor hotel room around noon and remained in the lobby until 1:30 p.m. He described the scene vividly: “All of a sudden medics started coming in with stretchers. There was a big scene around here.”
In an unrelated incident, a suspect recently appeared in court for allegedly shooting a man in the parking lot at Jake’s 58 Casino. Nashawn Legros, 24, of Wyandanch, N.Y., was indicted for second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to prosecutors.
The incident occurred on May 31 when Legros, who was in a car parked in the lot, saw the intended victim walking toward the casino entrance. He got out of the car, approached the man, and shot him in the chest and stomach at close range. Remarkably, the victim survived his wounds.
