Fire at tent community renews calls on government to take action on homelessness

A group of homeless people are salvaging their belongings after a fire tore through a tent community in the heritage neighbourhood. All the residents escaped Tuesday night’s blaze unharmed but the incident has renewed calls on government to take action on homelessness.

Sebastian Anderson sifted through the ruins of a tent community that he helped establish. It’s believed that about eight people may have been onsite when the fire broke out.

“Yeah they’re okay. I’m glad they’re okay,” he said.

The fire occurred just before the supper hour on Tuesday. People who were nearby believe they heard an explosion and saw blue flames.

“We heard something kind of like there was a little pop and then all of a sudden we heard a big bang and bang,” said a witness. “Right away, everyone was running.”

Fire investigators are searching for cause.

“The inspector was out there last night and that investigation is currently underway,” said Gord Hewitt, deputy fire chief.

The tent community was home to about a dozen people with nowhere else to live. Nearby Carmichael Outreach said everyone moved in with friends or neighbours.

“A couple neighbours in the community took in a few of them overnight,” said Aurora Marinari with Carmichael Outreach. “So everyone seems to be okay.”

The incident has renewed calls from the community for action to address homelessness. The District Brewing Company tweeted, “Now is a great time for citizens of Regina to email your city councillors, MLAs, MPs and your neighbours to do something, anything for our unhoused neighbours.”

“It’s easy to do. Someone just has to write the cheque, someone actually has to do it and rather than continuing to talk about it we just hope that any level of government will do it,” said Meghan Trenholm of District Brewing Company.

Wanda Natawayous recently lost her daughter to homelessness on Oct. 4. Angela Andrews died after doctors couldn’t reach her with crucial test results.

“She was homeless and I think it was due to a lack of services that she didn’t receive the help she needed right away. You know, Christmas is coming. She doesn’t have her mother anymore.”

The residents of the camp are salvaging what they can before clearing the site. Their intention is to rebuild the tent community at the same place unless a better housing option is presented to them.