The occupied tent lights up
Emergency crews rushed to the homeless encampment near the Rail Trail in downtown Kelowna Thursday morning after a tent caught fire.
Around 6:30 a.m., the Kelowna RCMP announcement, the Kelowna Fire Department rushed to the area of Weddell Place after receiving a report of a tent on fire with a person inside.
In a press release, Const. Mike Della-Paolera of the Kelowna RCMP says fire crews were able to put out the fire and get the person inside before they were injured.
“The quick response likely saved others who were also sleeping at the time of the fire and prevented a potentially catastrophic situation,” Della-Paolera said.
Although police did not say how the fire was started, Sgt. Scott Powrie said they are seeing more people living outdoors using dangerous heat sources to stay warm as temperatures drop overnight.
“As temperatures drop, we’re seeing more homeless people using dangerous camp stoves and open flames in an attempt to stay warm,” said Powrie, Sergeant in Charge of the Community Safety Unit.
“That, of course, makes us very concerned about the welfare of the people in these camps.”
Della-Paolera says police and enforcement officers will work with people at the city-sanctioned encampment to help them find alternative places to sleep as shelters.
Thursday morning’s incident comes nearly three weeks after a man drove a truck through the camp, hitting a tent and seriously injuring a man inside.
The City of Kelowna moved its sanctioned homeless encampment to the Rail Trail location in May 2021.