Fires at Hamilton encampments raise concerns about safety in the winter

An early morning fire at a Hamilton encampment is raising concerns about safety in the winter months.

Residents in a north Hamilton neighborhood were startled by the flames and called police.

Meanwhile, the city is taking steps to get more people into shelters, as the weather gets colder.

Ryan Leverton took the video of a fire at an encampment on Wellington Street North just after midnight. He says he and his family were scared.

“There was a large bang, like a propane tank, or something, an explosion, and we went back outside and saw a ball of flames and smoke coming from the encampment,” Leverton said.

CHCH News spoke with a man at the encampment who did not want to appear on camera but told us the fire started in his area from a propane heater he was using to keep warm.

This is not the only recent fire related to an encampment.

Just this past week there was also another fire at Woodlands Park. It caused $500,000 in damage to a washroom facility there.

Fire officials told CHCH they believe the flames started at an encampment.

READ MORE: Fire at encampment at Woodlands Park sparks safety concerns

The City of Hamilton says outreach workers visit encampment sites to ensure safety rules are being followed, like removing propane tanks.

As part of the city’s winter response strategy, outreach workers are also working to get people out of encampments and into shelters or warming centres, including a city bus.

Michelle Baird from the City of Hamilton says there are more men’s shelter beds than last year.

“Those additional beds are already for the most part full on a nightly basis so we will see that both as a success but also a challenge,” Baird said.

“We know that the bus is quite successful but we also know that there are lots of individuals for lots of different reasons who choose not to go inside.”

CHCH News also learned that in November and December 2023, the Hamilton Fire Department saw an increase in calls to encampment.

Based on the increase in call volume and number of fires, the fire department, in conjunction with the other city divisions, has developed fire safety resource material for encampments.

This material is being provided to both city and community support groups working in the encampments for distribution.

Leverton says he hopes more can be done.

“I know some cities have come down hard and got rid of them. I know some cities have done different methods, maybe we need to look at those cities and see what’s working and what’s not working, but it’s definitely not working here in Hamilton,” Leverton said.