City says two people injured
At approximately 1:15 am, a fire engulfed a tent at Occupy Calgary this morning.
Chris Biggs, a protester who helped put out the flames, said the victim suffered burns to his hands, and was lucky to have a hoodie pulled over his face to protect him from the flames.
The victim, only known as Jacob, appeared to be about 25 years old, Biggs said.
Kelly Wilkinson was in a tent nearby when he heard the screams that caught his attention. He described the screams as “scaring” as he heard them from a nearby tent. When he came out to see what was wrong, he said the tent was “engulfed in flames.”
Wilkinson said he ran out with other protesters, and helped stomp out the fire. After they pulled the man out, Wilkinson said he wrapped up the man’s burned hands with a scarf.
This is all that remains of an Occupy Calgary tent that caught fire in the early hours of Nov. 16.
Photo by: Gordon WilliamsonA City of Calgary press release indicated the fire injured one other bystander. “Contact with molten tent material appears to have injured both patients. No other injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.”
Biggs pointed out that they (Occupy Calgary participants) routinely check the tents hourly throughout the night to make sure everyone is okay, and that no fires are burning inside the tents, but remarked, “a lot of things can happen from hour to hour.”
When asked for comment, Tavis Ford, an Occupy Calgary organizer, said, “It’s sad,” shaking his head, adding, “We’re shocked.”
gwilliamson@cjournal.ca