People who work with unhoused individuals in Saint John are in shock after this weekend’s tent encampment fire.
Investigators believe Sunday evening’s fire at an encampment between Waterloo and Exmouth streets was deliberately set.
“It’s very disturbing to see,” said Melanie Vautour, the executive director of Fresh Start Services.
“People tried to hurt them for the sheer fact that they’re homeless and living in tents.”
Witnesses reported hearing something hit the tent before it caught fire and then heard a vehicle speed away.
A 22-second video released by police on Tuesday afternoon shows a car stopping near one of the tents.
One person gets out of the front passenger seat and appears to walk toward one of the tents. Flames can be seen several seconds later as the individual walks back toward the car.
Vautour and her team at Fresh Start provide outreach services to those living in encampments and on the streets, building relationships and helping them succeed and move toward housing.
But Vautour said this weekend’s incident adds to the overall trauma that people experiencing homelessness are already dealing with.
“It again makes them feel vulnerable and marginalized, not wanted, not cared about. These all feed into feelings of despair and hopelessness,” she said.
Police continue to seek information from the public, including anyone with video footage of the incident.
Vautour said she hopes the fire will help people to better understand the challenges for individuals living outside.
“We can do better as a people,” she said.
