Residents of Kitchener’s Victoria encampment are increasingly concerned about safety after a tent fire early Saturday. Jamie Stief, a homelessness advocate who works with groups such as the Social Development Centre Waterloo Region and the Unsheltered Campaign, says the incident underscores the need for better winter safety resources and education.
Although the exact cause of the fire remains unclear, Stief notes that some people living outdoors rely on candles for heat during the winter. She emphasizes that everyone deserves safe, warm housing.
According to the Kitchener Fire Department, crews arrived shortly after midnight to find both a tent and a nearby structure fully engulfed. Police helped secure the area while firefighters quickly put out the flames. The occupants were displaced, but no injuries were reported, and the fire is not being treated as suspicious.