Multiple tipsters have written in to report a fire that took place early Friday morning. According to reader reports, the fire broke out at a homeless encampment underneath the freeway at Harrison and Division/13th.
Fire near Harrison & Division. I'm thinking at one of the homeless encampments. I hope everyone is safe. #SanFrancisco
— Jamie (@jamiedsongs) December 18, 2015
"There was ... a homeless tent and large collection of bicycles that went up in flames last night at Division and Harrison," said Chris H. yesterday. "Have you all heard anything?"
Eric L. wrote in this morning with more, including a photo of the aftermath.
"Large homeless encampment fires in Western SoMa. Yesterday there was another fire. It was on the corner of 13th and Harrison streets, and it caused damage to the building at the corner and shut down street lights in the area. It was caused by a homeless encampment."
We currently have no further information about the fire's cause or whether there were any injuries. In November, KTVU reported on Potrero Hill neighbors' frustrations over fires caused by homeless encampments where people cooked over open fires.
Eric L. has his own concerns about fires in the area. "This is the third serious fire within five hundred feet of that intersection in the last year alone," he wrote. "One fire is too many, but to have three large fires, including one that caused significant damage to a house and a business on Bernice St. within one year and within five hundred feet is crazy."
"San Francisco residential neighborhoods are largely wood and at high risk from fire," he said. "If something isn't done to address the fire risk in this neighborhood, it is only a matter of time before there is a major fire caused by homeless encampments that will destroy homes and businesses in the area."
We'll update the story if we're able to obtain more information from SFFD or other sources about the fire. If you saw what happened or know more, let us know in the comments.
