3 hospitalized after unknown odor sickens occupants of Phoenix homeless shelter

Three people were taken to area hospitals in stable condition Friday after an unknown odor sickened multiple occupants of a west Phoenix homeless shelter, fire officials said.

Phoenix Fire Department crews responded just after 10 a.m. to the Phoenix Navigation Center near 71st Avenue and Van Buren Road after reports of an unidentified smell and people feeling ill inside the building, department spokesperson Capt. Mike Johnson II said in a news release.

The 280-bed shelter was evacuated as a precaution while hazardous materials crews tested the air inside. All readings came back within normal limits, and no immediate danger was found, Johnson said.

Eight people asked to be evaluated by fire personnel. Three were transported to area hospitals in stable condition.

The building was later cleared but the cause of the odor was not immediately found.

The Phoenix Navigation Center opened in March 2025 as the city’s first homeless shelter in west Phoenix.

The shelter is operated by Community Bridges, Inc. and St. Vincent de Paul.

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