ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - One person has died and another has been injured in a fire at a homeless encampment in St. Paul.
The blaze Wednesday involved two tents. One person was found dead and another had suffered burns, fire officials said.
According to St. Paul Deputy Fire Chief Roy Mokosso, firefighters have responded to dozens of calls to encampments this winter, including a larger blaze at an encampment in downtown St. Paul near City Hall that has since been closed.
Mokosso says the encampments are a serious fire risk, especially in the winter, as individuals light fires to stay warm. In the latest case, Mokosso says firewood was found at the scene as well as propane heaters, the Star Tribune reported.
The fatality Wednesday is the third death of a homeless person in St. Paul this winter. Officials say the two others likely died of exposure.
The city has been working to close the larger encampments and relocate people to temporary shelters.
The city allowed encampments to stay open throughout summer and fall and provided food, portable toilets and trash pickup. As temperatures dropped and temporary shelters opened, city staff began shutting down the camps in December.
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