Officials: Fire at Brooklyn Park Homeless Encampment Leaves One Injured

Fire officials say a fire at a homeless encampment in Brooklyn Park left a burn victim hospitalized just before the Thanksgiving holiday. 

The Brooklyn Park Fire Department responded to reports of a fire at a homeless encampment near northbound Highway 169 and eastbound Interstate Highway 694 at 5:10 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22. 

“The location of the encampment was in the right of way on top of the hill and behind the freeway fence on northbound 169 to eastbound 694/94,” said Brooklyn Park Fire Battalion Chief Rob Miller. “The area is very remote.”

Footage from a Minnesota Department of Transportation camera shows smoke rising from a fire at a homeless encampment in Brooklyn Park.

Arriving fire crews found a female burn victim at the scene. 

“I cannot speak to how many people were involved in creating this encampment,” Miller said. “At the time of the incident it was a sizeable encampment but only the victim was present at the time of the incident.”

Firefighters put out the fire and rendered medical aid to the victim. EMTs transported her to a local hospital. 

“At this time we do not know the cause of the fire but [the] evidence is leaning to it possibly being accidental,” Miller said. 

The investigation into the incident continues.

Brooklyn Park