Spa Castle Premier 57 in Manhattan has been closed by the city health department following an investigation into an 84-year-old man’s death in a hot tub at another Spa Castle facility in Queens.
After the death of an elderly man at the facility in Queens, the health department decided to investigate the newly opened spa in Manhattan. It found the facility lacked a permit and an approved safety plan – both of which are required for all bathing establishments in New York City. This failure to comply with basic measures resulted in the closure of the 39,000sq ft (3,623sq m) spa, which only opened in December.
“Spa Castle Premier 57 is currently reconciling a permitting issue and the spa is temporarily closed,” said CEO Steve Chon, according to
NBC New York. “We will advise on a reopening date as it becomes available.”
Spa Castle is in the process of applying for the necessary permit but Premier 57’s pools, hot tubs, saunas and steamrooms will be closed until it is granted, according to the health department.
The elderly man who died at the Queens facility recently, named Hock Ma, was discovered submerged in a hot tub. The medical examiner said he died of a heart attack, but visitors including the woman who found him were concerned it was a patron and not a staff member who found him.
A health inspection of the Queens Spa Castle found the popular bathhouse was dirty and unsafe. According to
dnainfo.com, the site lacked proper disinfectant and the pools were overpopulated. Spa Castle also failed to notify the health department within 24 hours of Ma's death.
The health department only closes a pool or spa if violations there cannot be corrected, however state senator Tony Avella of Queens says he thinks businesses with serious and chronic problems should be shut down, including
Spa Castle Premier 57.
