Nanaimo Fire Rescue personnel attacking a brush fire at a homeless encampment in the Cat Stream on Tuesday, March 28. (submitted photo/Thomas Warden)

By Ian Holmes

close call

‘There were three huge bangs:’ concerns raised after repeated Nanaimo encampment fires

Mar 28, 2023 | 2:49 PM

NANAIMO— Multiple propane tanks exploded during a fire at a small encampment in an area popular with the local homeless population.

It happened Tuesday, March 28 at about 10:15 a.m. at a tent positioned on a slope just above the Cat Steam near Pine and Albion St.

Nanaimo Fire Rescue Capt. Bryun Ashlie said a man inside a tent dropped a candle which ignited clothing then caused a large explosion. He said the man was treated on scene for a minor burn to his hand.

“He is fortunate that it didn’t get worse with the explosions from the propane tank. When we arrived on scene there were still small propane tanks exploding,” Ashlie said.

The injured man had a fire extinguisher, however Ashlie said the size of the fire overwhelmed him.

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Two other people associated to the camp were not injured.

Fortunately dampened conditions helped contained the fire, which Ashlie said required about 1,100 litres of water to safely snuff out.

Flames and heavy smoke rose above the Cat Stream between Albert and Fifth streets. (Thomas Warden)

Area resident Penny Poulin lives adjacent to the Cat Stream, only about 50 metres from the fire.

“There were three huge bangs and black smoke, so I quickly called 911 and let them know what was happening. Unfortunately we have lots of homeless in this gorge here,” Poulin said.

Describing what happened as “quite scary at first” with constant crackling after the initial explosions, Poulin said flames shooting into the air followed by thick black smoke was an ominous site.

She added multiple homeless encampment fires in the Cat Stream in recent years are a constant source of worry for many local residents.

Thomas Warden was relaxing in in his home near the scene having coffee when a large initial explosion went off.

Warden believes the City needs to be more proactive to help minimize these types of incidents, particularly during the coming months.

“Bylaw needs to step up with getting the accelerates out of these people’s hands when they’re possessing large amounts of propane. Even just having small campfires when it’s tinder dry out, we’re getting into these summer months, we need to make sure we’re not at risk,” Warden said.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes