A resident of a women’s homeless shelter in Queens was set on fire by her crazed roommate at the facility and left critically injured from the vicious attack, police said.
The horrific incident happened when the victim, 51, and a younger woman got into an argument around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday on the third floor of Pam’s Place shelter — formerly the Verve Hotel on 29th Street in Long Island City, cops said.
The dispute went on for a few minutes before the aggressor dumped highly flammable nail polish remover on the victim and lit her ablaze, authorities said.
The victim was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Hospital in critical condition, according to officials.
Her attacker, described by cops as about 33 years old, 5 feet 7 and 130 pounds, fled and remains at large.
Police say the victim and the suspect know each other.
A resident at the six-story, 200-bed shelter who lives on the same floor as the two women told The Post that following the incident, the shelter was evacuated.
“[They] had us standing outside three hours,” said the woman, who did not want to be named, adding, “Girls grabbed just their purses and small essentials when being evacuated.”
She continued: “When the fire marshal allowed us to return, each and every girl’s purse and everything was hand-searched by security. They took away every lighter.”
The resident said she also spotted security officials “taking and tossing travel-size bottles of mouthwash from girls’ purses.”
Witnesses said chaos ensued when the attack took place.
“All the girls on the third floor started screaming,” one woman said.
Another shelter resident said: “The entire room was on fire, smoke was blowing out of the room . . . I saw smoke and heard the screaming.”
Pam’s Place, located near 40th Avenue, is operated by Acacia Network, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Isaac McGinn, a spokesman for the Department of Homeless Services, said in a statement: “This unconscionable act goes against everything we stand for and we’re working closely with law enforcement to ensure the perpetrator is apprehended.”
According to the agency, Department of Homeless Services peace officers immediately responded to the incident, calling the NYPD and connecting the victim with medical care.
DHS is also coordinating with the hospital provider to ensure it provides the victim with all the support and services that it can, the agency said.