3 people escape tent fire in downtown Halifax

Three people escaped from a burning tent in downtown Halifax Saturday morning.

Thefire broke out inside a tent in Grand Parade outside Halifax's city hall shortly before 8 a.m., badly damaging the structure and everything inside.

No one was injured.

Steve Wilsack has been volunteering his time at Grand Parade for the past three weeks, helping people who are living there. He was in the public square when the fire happened.

"I saw three individuals running for their lives," Wilsack said."I saw flames coming out of the tent. I immediately grabbed two fire extinguishers and ran over there and put it out.

"It was surreal and it happened in a matter of seconds."

Wilsack said the flames and smoke picked up again and he doused the tent with water until firefighters arrived and extinguished it.

Cause not determined

A spokesperson for Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency said they investigated the scene afterwards and could not determine the cause.

The outer structure of the tent was still intact after the fire, but the inside was badly damaged from the flames, smoke,and water used to put out the blaze, Wilsack said. So, too, were the possessions of the people who'd been living there.

Wilsack said he set one of the men up with a new tent, sleeping bag and clothes.

"You have to realize, when unhoused are in tents, they basically have their whole life belongings in there," he said.

Safety concerns

Fire officials told CBC earlier this fall they were concerned about safety for the growing homeless population around the city this winter.

According to the fire department, the only safe method for heating a tent or RV is an electric heater, but most people living outside do not have access to electricity, meaning they typically rely on solid fuel heaters. In an enclosed space, those pose the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning or, if tipped over, starting a fire.

Wilsack said he is trying to get fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide detectors for each of the tents at Grand Parade. He's also hoping to get electric heaters and set up a system for powering them with a generator.

Wilsack said the fire on Saturday morning could have ended much worse than it did.

"There was butane burners there, there was propane nearby. It could have exploded. It could have been very bad."

As of this week, more than 1,000 people in Halifax are homeless and looking for permanent housing.

Wilsack said this fire should be a call to action for Nova Scotians.

"We need to figure this out. People are going to die,other tents are going to catch on fire. The whole living condition isunsafe, people are going to freeze to death.

"So, what are we going to do as a province? Enough is enough. Let's do something here."