Homeless shelter fire

A fire has left several homeless people searching for another place to sleep.

A makeshift shelter had been put together in a field behind Vernon’s Polson Mall, only to be destroyed by fire early Saturday morning.

Lieutenant Dan Bolton says the structure, made of tarps, rope and blankets, caught fire just before 4:30.

“We believe the fire was started by a candle two people had been using as a heat source. By the time we arrived at the scene, most of the people staying in the shelter had fled. One man did suffer some burns on his hands and was taken to hospital for treatment,” says Bolton.

He says they don’t know how many people were sleeping in the shelter.

“We do respond to a few of these calls every year around this time when it starts to get colder. People just want to stay warm.”

Fire crews were on scene for just under an hour.