Three people were sent to hospital with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning after fire officials say charcoal was burned inside a tent at the Belle Park encampment Friday.
Chief fire prevention officer Ted Posadowski said one person was found unconscious while another was having seizures when crews were called to the camp around 9 p.m.
He said firefighters removed a “homemade appliance” that was being used to burn charcoal inside a tent.
“Carbon monoxide poisoning is a silent killer that can easily result in death,” Posadowski said in a statement.
“We were fortunate that this latest incident did not result in that.”
All three patients were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to a media release from the city.
Fire officials issued an immediate threat to life under section 15 of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, which gives them authority to “remove anything that may constitute a fire menace or take any action urgently required to remove or reduce the threat to life,” the city says.
The city of Kingston has reported numerous emergency calls to the camp in recent weeks.
In a release sent to media following a pair of fires last week, Posadowski said calls to the encampment have risen 700 per cent since 2018.
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“We continue to emphasize that fire prevention is key, and keeping people safe remains our top priority,” Posadowski said after Friday night’s call.
“This latest incident escalates the severity of the situation there and brings greater attention to the risks that individuals in the encampment are taking.”
Earlier this month the city announced it would begin enforcing a daytime camping ban at all municipal parks starting the week of April 2.
Under the rules, those sheltering at sites including Belle Park will have to remove tents or other temporary structures one hour after sunrise and will not be allowed to set them back up until one hour before sunset.
The move comes after a November 2023 decision from the Ontario Superior Court stopped forced evictions at Belle Park, ruling a city bylaw banning overnight camping was not constitutional.
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