Possible encampment fire on Homer Watson; witnesses report ‘explosions’
Posted Aug 30, 2024 05:11:46 AM.
Last Updated Aug 30, 2024 02:00:33 PM.
Eyewitnesses describe 20-foot high flames and the sounds of explosions in the trees on Homer Watson Boulevard near the Expressway, Friday morning.
Kitchener firefighters were on the scene at about 3:00 a.m. to deal with fire in the trees on the west side of Homer Watson, about a hundred feet north of the on-ramp to westbound lanes of Highway 7/8.
A fire official at the scene tells 570 NewsRadio it might have been within an encampment in the trees.
He said no one was immediately found at the scene, injured or otherwise.
Max and Jenelle live near the scene and called 9-1-1 when they saw the flames in the trees.
Max said, “There was like a big fire, probably about twenty feet high. It was spreading in the bush and it was getting out of control.”
Jenelle added, “There was a big explosion that we heard…Scary, scary. I called and wanted to make sure before it got really, really out of control. I said, we need (fire services) to come now — now!”
They said they believe there were multiple small explosions, leaving them to think it might have been propane tanks, but that has not been confirmed by Kitchener fire officials.
