Police warning trespassers to stay away from abandoned hospital on Long Island this Halloween
KINGS PARK, Long Island (WABC) -- Police on Long Island are boosting patrols to protect a piece of historic property at Nissequogue River State Park as well as potential trespassers.
The Kings Park Psychiatric Center has been closed for more than a decade -- but every year people flock to the site hoping to catch a glimpse of some paranormal activity.
Police warn that seeking those thrills could come with some dangerous and unintended consequences.
Some of the abandoned buildings date back to the late 1800s, but one in particular, Building 93 which housed hundreds of patients over decades, is drawing both teens and police.
"This building is probably the most iconic building we have on the premises, it's the tallest, it is the most sought after by the public for its intrigue," said park director Christopher Thompson.
New York State Parks took control of the site from the State Office of Mental Health after the center closed in 1996.
"The rumors are that the doctors did experiments on the patients in this building specifically, so I think maybe that's the draw to it...I've heard people think there's ghosts in there," said Sgt. Christopher Pirozzi with Long Island State Park Police.
Paranormal sightings or lack thereof aside, police say the inside is an extreme hazard.
"Inside the buildings you have asbestos, you have deterioration, floors that have collapsed, open elevator shafts, so we try to deter people from going in," Pirozzi said. "I know its groups called urban explorers that like to check it out but it is just unsafe."
The land is open to the public during the day, but anyone caught trespassing after sunset could be ticketed or arrested.
"Right now this time of year at night, please don't come here, we appreciate the interest but we want everyone to have a safe Halloween season," Thompson said.
State park police will add officers and lights to the area starting on Wednesday through Halloween until Sunday morning.
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