Landlord illegally turns 2 apartments into 18 tiny, dangerous apartments, officials report

LOWER EAST SIDE, Manhattan -- Some tiny apartments in New York are causing a big stir.

The Department of Buildings busted the setup at 165 Henry Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where inspectors discovered the property owner had turned 2 regular-sized apartments into 18 illegal single-room units.

The ceiling on those units was as low as 4.5 feet in some spots.

The apartments were without windows or proper fire protection systems. Inspectors said the apartments were "imminently perilous to life."

Tenants in the spaces were evacuated, and notices were placed on the door.

The city said, 'this poses an extreme hazard to their safety, as well as the safety of their neighbors and first responders.'

The displaced residents are now being assisted by the Red Cross.