DARTMOUTH – Crews put out a fire in a wooded area off Mosher Drive, in the Burnside Industrial Park, following a small explosion Thursday morning.
It’s believed the fire started near a makeshift camp, belonging to a man who identifies himself only as ‘Snowman.’
“I’m a normal person, just like everybody else trying to survive. You know what I mean, it’s a little tougher for me but I’m doing it.”
Snowman has been squatting in the woods for years, but now he’s truly homeless.
It’s believed an unattended candle in Snowman’s shack sparked the fire and caused a propane tank to explode.
“There was a candle burning for the bugs, to keep the bugs away. You have to in the woods, that is a necessary” he said.
But, it wasn’t just the propane explosion and the small blaze that had firefighters concerned.
The land where Snowman lived is adjacent to the Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot.
CFB Halifax spokesperson Mike Bonin said civilian and military firefighters extinguished the blaze, but it flared up and spread to the surrounding wooded area.
A huge explosion there, just after WWII ended, scattered live bombs and ammunition over a wide area.
The Dept. of National Defence (DND) knows there is unexploded ordnance there. They also knew Snowman has been living here.
“He is known to us, he has been evicted different times before,” Bonin said. “He is safe and that is the important fact.”
Firefighters and DND officals were able to contain the fire quickly, but the explosion likely sparked other fires around the makeshift camp.
The threat of unexploded bombs forced firefighters to back away from the blaze and wait for a Canadian Forces explosives disposal team.
“Of course, we’ll be having an investigation and once that investigation is concluded, we’ll be able to determine the exact cause and how we can mitigate this in the future,” Bonin added.
No evacuations were ordered, and Bonin describes the fire as small and contained.
As for Snowman, he is no longer allowed to re-enter the woods he’s called home for more than a decade.
* With files from The Canadian Press
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