David Copperfield's pool water does 20-floor vanishing act

David Copperfield’s neighbors probably wish his disappearing swimming pool was just an illusion.

The water in Mr. Copperfield’s rooftop lap pool vanished on March 8, flooding his 8,000-sqaure-foot Manhattan penthouse, leaking into apartments more than 20 floors below and causing the building’s elevators to stop working for more than a day, according to media reports.

The illusionist, who performs at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, was out of town at the time, reports state.

His lawyer, Ted Blumberg, told the New York Post’s Page Six that a pump for the 57th-floor pool malfunctioned, causing water to flow through Mr. Copperfield’s four-story penthouse, which is decorated with valuables.

“David was terrified, because he has these rare, vintage Coney Island machines, which are priceless, irreplaceable antiques, including a fortune teller, strength testers, an electric shock machine and shooting galleries,” Mr. Blumberg said. “But for some unknown reason — or stroke of luck — these machines were spared by the water. There’s a magic trick called ‘The Bullet Catch,’ where the illusionist catches the bullet in his teeth, and David thinks he really dodged a bullet here.”

Mr. Blumberg added that the insurance company has been notified, and that no lawsuits have been filed as of yet.