A homeless man sleeping inside Penn Station in Midtown was set on fire by three young men, police said Tuesday. The 37-year-old victim suffered second-degree burns to his arm and back that are not considered life threatening, cops said. He was asleep near an entrance to the Amtrak rotunda on W. 33rd St. near Eighth Ave. when the three men approached him about 8:40 p.m. Monday.

One of the men set fire to the victim's clothes, causing a small blaze. First responders quickly extinguished the fire and rushed the victim to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell's burn unit. The three assailants fled deeper into the Amtrak station and remain at large. Police described the suspects as wearing distinct clothing combinations including a black jacket with blue jeans, a brown jacket with gray pants and hat, and all black with a backpack.

The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of Mayor Mamdani's Homeless Services Department following a recent cold snap that claimed at least 19 lives on city streets. Fifteen victims died from hypothermia, most having had prior contact with city homeless services. In response, the mayor reversed his previous stance and announced the resumption of homeless encampment sweeps, marking a significant policy shift in addressing the city's ongoing homelessness crisis.