In a shocking development, city officials have issued both a partial vacate order and an emergency work order for a Brooklyn synagogue complex after the discovery of a secret tunnel dug by extremist students from an ultra-Orthodox Hasidic group. The Department of Buildings revealed that the 60-foot-long tunnel, measuring 5 feet tall and 8 feet wide, was clandestinely constructed beneath a single-story extension located behind two four-story buildings at 784 and 786 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights.

An investigation conducted by city authorities found that the illegal tunnel, reportedly dug by six renegade members of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement, was excavated without permits or approval, using only crude instruments and bare hands. The excavated passageway compromised the structural stability of the extension above it and the single-story extension behind the Kingston Avenue building, leading to concerns about occupant safety.

As a result, partial vacate orders have been issued for both buildings, while a full vacate order has been imposed on the two-story building on Kingston Avenue due to fire safety concerns. City officials discovered that fire-rated walls in the cellar and on the first floor had been torn down.

The property owners have been directed by the city to hire a professional engineer to stabilize the tunnel, seal the openings, and potentially backfill it entirely. The building owners have promptly complied with the orders and are currently making preparations for the required emergency work.

The controversy surrounding the secret tunnel came to light when members of the community stumbled upon it and arranged for cement workers to fill it in. The situation escalated into a wild riot when the NYPD was called to intervene, as some students attempted to prevent the laborers from entering the tunnel.

Nine individuals, aged 19 to 21, were arrested during the ensuing chaos. Dov Bear Shenhav, Shmuel Malka, Blumenfeld Yerachmiel, and Henachem Mulakando face obstruction charges after being forcibly removed from their concealed location. Mulakando and Yerachmiel were additionally charged with criminal mischief for allegedly destroying a synagogue wall in front of law enforcement officers. Another student, Levi Tyz Lahav, was charged with obstruction for impeding the arrest efforts.

All five individuals pleaded not guilty during their arraignments in Brooklyn Criminal Court and were subsequently released without bail. In light of the incident, leaders of the community have decided to discontinue sponsoring the education visas that allowed these foreign students to attend yeshiva in Brooklyn.

A Chabad rabbi, who preferred to remain anonymous, described the individuals involved as part of a small extreme group and expressed regret over their behavior. The rabbi stated that the concept of Chabad is to be kind to everyone and that community members had not anticipated such problems arising from this particular group. Consequently, the school intends to terminate their visas.

The city's Department of Buildings will continue to oversee the emergency stabilization work, taking further actions if necessary to ensure public safety. With investigations and legal proceedings ongoing, the community hopes to restore peace and stability in the affected synagogue complex.