A homeless encampment on the shore of Rock Bay near the intersection of Bridge and Bay Street went up in flames on Sunday morning.
Victoria Fire Department Chief Gord Taylor said emergency crews received multiple 9-1-1 calls at 10:20 a.m. with smoke visible from nearby communities. “It was close to trees and other brush, creating a lot of smoke, which is why a lot of people noticed it and called it in,” said Taylor.
Taylor said that the fire likely started from “somebody trying to stay warm at night” and said that the encampment was “fully engulfed” by the time emergency crews arrived.
“There was nobody there, it was an abandoned camp,” said Taylor, adding that the cause of the fire is not yet known. “There was a pot-belly stove down there, but it had nothing in it.”
Taylor said there were no injuries from the incident.
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