One man seriously injured after encampment fire in Saint John

One man has severe burns following a fire at a tent encampment in Saint John on Saturday night. He was taken to hospital while others with less serious injuries were treated at the site.

The Saint John Fire Department responded to a call just before 8 p.m. from an encampment near the Main Street viaduct that goes over Route 1.

Platoon chief Ed Moyer says the construction of the encampment presented a challenge for firefighters.

"They build it out of plywood and tarps and blankets and stuff like that," Moyer said. "So it's more of like mini-huts and shelters as opposed to tents."

He said propane cylinders, cooking devices and heating devices among other items "made it a difficult and unsafe area."

An investigator is looking into the cause of the fire. (Julia Wright/CBC)

Crews needed to cut through a fence around the encampment to fight the fire. They also needed a tanker for water supply.

Moyer says there have been fires at the encampment before. An investigator is looking into the cause of the fire.