JACKSON, NJ – An underground homeless camp underneath a hotel turned into a homeless shelter in Hell’s Kitchen burned Saturday night. The FDNY firefighters responded to the two-alarm fire under the Travel Inn Hotel at 515 West 42nd Street in Manhattan.
At around 9:10 pm, firefighters had the fire under control, but not before 100 homeless individuals were evacuated.
The fire is under investigation by the FDNY fire marshal’s office.
The encampment, which was 25 feet above the NYC subway system, caused delays in subway traffic while firefighters battled the fire.
Five people were reportedly injured, including two firefighters and three occupants.