Explosions at encampment fire could have been fatal, Edmonton Police

Edmonton Police Service (EPS) and firefighters are investigating a pair of explosions that occurred at an encampment on Tuesday.

In a statement Thursday afternoon, detailing the “promising results” the Healthy Streets Operations Centre (HSOC) has seen so far in December, EPS stated members of the team were left in a situation that could have been catastrophic.

“On Dec. 13, 2022, HSOC was first on the scene of a propane tank explosion that resulted in at least three unoccupied tents burning down and significant heat damage to vehicles parked in the area of 105A Avenue and 96 Street,” said EPS in a statement.

CityNews spoke to Joshua Bell who was living in one of the tents. Now his personal items burned beyond repair, are left behind following a propane explosion, Tuesday.

“It’s unbelievable how fast these tents going up, we’re just trying to stay warm. It’s not easy trying to take care of each other and take care of yourself. We just try to stick together and do what we can for each other,” said Bell.

“This could have very easily been a tragedy with injuries and death to our vulnerable community members, bystanders, and first responders,” said inspector Angela Kemp. “One police officer suffered minor burns while attempting to check if there was anyone in one of the tents.”

While putting out the fire, a secondary smaller explosion also occurred.

Police noted due to the fact EMS members also made up the HSOC team that responded to that fire, ambulances were not dispatched to the scene.

“We know people need to stay warm, they need light to see, and be safe, and they need to cook and eat,” Joe Zatylny, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services Fire Chief.

Edmonton Fire Rescue Services says there have responded to 65 fire calls at encampments this year, five of which resulted in fatalities.

“It is concerning that we have seen 5 deaths this year in these encampments, just related to fire, and so I think going forward into the new year we need to get a stronger focus and we need to get a better understanding of what’s happening and look to what strategies and resources are going to result in better outcomes at the end of the day,” said Zatylny.

“We need to focus on those who really need our help, and I’m really concerned about the public safety risk, encampments, and the support we really need to focus on when it comes to those who are experiencing homelessness.”

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“While the current deployment is a soft, trial launch of the future full-scale HSOC initiative, it is showing encouraging early successes and community approval,” said Kemp.

On Wednesday, city councillors voted to reduce taxpayers’ dollars for enforcement at encampments but will continue to fund the cleanup of the sites. Edmonton’s mayor, Amarjeet Sohi saying he sees housing as a provincial responsibility and wants to see action.

“Enforcement just displaces people, forces people from one encampment and they have to set up another encampment in the next neighborhood, so it’s not really helping, enforcement is not effective,” said Mayor Sohi.

More than 800 people are currently living in encampments on Edmonton’s streets according to data by Homeward Trust, and with the winter season ahead, they’re doing what they can to survive.

-With files from Laura Krause, CityNews