Possible encampment fire on Homer Watson; witnesses report ‘explosions’

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.

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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.