A community tent set up to collect donations for the unhoused community at Beacon Hill Park caught fire earlier this week, and people living in the park say the fire was set deliberately.
Park resident Daniel Morel says he and his friend Shea left the area to go get some water, and when they returned to the community tent, they smelled burning plastic.
“My first reflex was just to jump. I burned myself but I stopped the fire by myself,” said Morel in an interview with Victoria Buzz.
“I was so in shock after, and still in shock now. I hope people around the parks stay safe. It was pretty scary.”
Morel suffered third degree burns on his hands from putting out the fire. He was taken to hospital for treatment, after a private security guard saw the commotion and called police and paramedics.
Morel says he and other people living in the area saw a man deliberately start the fire by throwing what he described as a plastic bag filled with matches and doused with accelerant, at the tent.
Community members said they saw the man throw the fire starter from a white Escalade parked near the tent.
Park residents also allege that the same man was seen in the area earlier in the day telling people to “get a job”.
One person was sleeping inside the tent at the time of the incident, but was fortunately unharmed.
Victoria Police spokesperson Cst. Cam MacIntyre said police investigated the fire but found no witnesses and limited information about the incident.
Police say they cannot confirm that the fire was started deliberately but will investigate if more information comes to light.
“We were told one person suffered non-life-threatening injuries putting out the fire, but they did not wish to speak with police,” said MacIntyre.
However Morel, the man who was injured while putting out the fire, said he did speak to one police officer but alleges that the officer was dismissive.
“He didn’t care, he just thought it was another homeless person getting hurt,” said Morel.
He added that he wants police to investigate further, wishes to speak to officers, and implores members of the community to call police if they see suspicious, anti-homeless behaviour around the park.
Victoria Police have not responded to multiple requests for comment.
