The death of a person apparently living in a ramshackle camp nestled into the brush behind a Thorold industrial park is being investigated by police, the Ontario Fire Marshal's office and the Thorold fire department.
Fire crews responded to a report of a structure fire around 7:30 a.m. Friday near 120 Wellington St. N. Thorold fire Chief Terry Dixon said although the fire was knocked down quickly by his crews, the blaze was intense.
"Flames were shooting 15 feet in the air," said Dixon. "But they got it under control quickly. It was under control before our pumper truck arrived."
The structure was a camp with what Dixon called "a lean-to type shelter."
The camp's remains included an older model television, clothing, a statue of a flamingo, a recycling bin, some crates, a green and white umbrella and a Spider-Man bicycle helmet hanging from a tree branch.
A few wooden boards were erected around a skinny tree and appear to have been cut to allow room for the trunk. Ornamental balls could also be seen hanging from tree branches around the camp.
Also found at the scene was the body of an unidentified person.
Police did not release the name, age or gender of the person Friday afternoon. Niagara Regional Police spokesman Cst. Phil Gavin said it was still early in the investigation, but the identity of the person may be released soon.
The cause of death is still under investigation, as is the cause of the fire.
Because the fire involved a death, Dixon said, he was obligated to call the Ontario Fire Marshal, who sent investigators to the scene Friday afternoon. NRP forensic officers wearing respirator masks were also investigating the scene Friday.
Dixon said there has been an increasing number of people living in tents and lean-tos around Thorold recently.
St. Catharines saw the rise of a small tent community in Centennial Gardens, where people lived between the time the Out of the Cold shelter program ended and the Out of the Heat program started.
Betty-Lou Souter, CEO of Community Care of St. Catharines and Thorold, said the noticeable rise in people living outdoors in both cities is driven by a number of factors.
Some are people who have nowhere to live, cannot get into a shelter and cannot afford rent. Others, she said, are people who could access the shelter system, but choose to remain outdoors.
"Some people, for all sorts of reasons, choose to stay outside," she said. "Some people don't like to live by the rules (they have at shelters) and they feel free outside.
"Once you add addiction and mental health issues into the mix, we have a real problem on our hands."
Link to original article on stcatherinesstandard.ca: Fire Marshal, police probe death at site of Thorold fire