Broadway actor Vincent Jamal Hooper, currently starring as Simba in “The Lion King,” was among the tenants displaced last weekend after a 5-alarm fire at a Washington Heights apartment building.
The Saturday night blaze at the six-story dwelling on Fort Washington Ave. near 164th St. drew 220 firefighters and EMS personnel shortly after 8:46 p.m. Nine people, including three firefighters, suffered injuries. All of their injuries were minor and not life-threatening, the FDNY said.
The fire appeared to have started on the fourth floor before spreading to the fifth floor, sixth floor and roof. It took about three hours to bring the fire under control, authorities said.
Hooper, who was in the cast of “Hamilton” before joining the musical based on the Disney classic, learned of the fire as he walked to the building after a performance.
“I discovered the tragic situation as I approached my building after finishing work on Saturday night,” he wrote on GoFundMe. “This is an unprecedented moment for me and [a] setback that requires me to effectively start over.”
He said he would share some of the funds with his neighbors. He’s raised more than $22,000 after initially seeking less than half that amount.
“Hamilton” star Leslie Odom Jr. and nonprofit organization Broadway Cares were among the first to donate.
American Red Cross of New York spokeswoman Desiree Ramos-Reiner told the Daily News that 35 adults and 7 children from 13 families were being assisted after the fire. She encouraged anyone affected by Saturday’s fire to call the Red Cross for assistance at 877-RED-CROSS.
A GoFundMe set up for other tenants paints a dire picture for the entire building.
“At least six families who were on floors 4-6 have been displaced and have lost everything, and now 21 units from every floor have received a vacate order due to flooding, fire damage and ceilings caving in,” the platform recounted.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
With Theresa Braine
