People sheltering in Beacon Hill Park say a tent distributing emergency supplies caught fire Sunday, leaving one park resident with burns to his hands from putting out the flames.
The fire started from the outside at the corner of the large “community care tent” across from the petting zoo, and people without homes suspect the fire was set by someone who doesn’t want them in the park. Victoria police responded to the incident, but say they don’t have enough information to determine if the fire was deliberately set.
Anthony D., a 29-year-old who moved to Victoria from Montreal in July, said he was sleeping in the structure at about midnight when he heard a commotion outside. His friends Dan and Shea had just gone to the washrooms to get water and returned to find the corner of the tent on fire. Dan put the fire out with his hands, leaving his palms covered in melted plastic, Anthony said.
A private security guard came over and called police and ambulance.
Victoria police spokesman Const. Cam MacIntyre said Tuesday that officers responded to a report of a fire at a tent in Beacon Hill park shortly after midnight Nov. 2.
“We investigated the incident to determine if it was an arson, however there were no witnesses and limited information provided about the circumstances of the incident,” MacIntyre said. Officers were told that one person had non-life-threatening injuries from putting out the fire, but the person didn’t want to speak to police.
The large beige vehicle-storage tent, which is three metres wide by six metres long, was erected on Oct. 30 as a place to distribute food, coffee, water, tarps and warm clothes. It was originally set up as a warming tent for the winter, but residents say bylaw officers informed them propane heater are not allowed. A small patch at the bottom of the tent is burned away but the overall structure was not damaged. Anthony said the tent is now equipped with a fire extinguisher, but people sheltering in the park remain on edge.
Anthony said earlier that day, a man in a vehicle shouted profanities at them and told them to get a job.
Victoria Coun. Sarah Potts said she’s aware of the fire and is worried it’s a sign of heightened tensions between people without homes and people who use the park.
“It’s deeply disturbing and shocking,” she said. “I’m really upset by the amount of hate we’re seeing launched toward unhoused people and the increasingly dangerous conditions for them.”
A tent facing Douglas Street, near the park’s giant watering can, caught fire on Oct. 27. The tent’s occupant was not inside at the time of the fire.
There is no indication from fire investigators that the blaze was suspicious, MacIntyre said.
