Fire destroys Orangeville homeless encampment

A small tent city caught fire in Orangeville Friday. ((Submitted))

Orangeville, Ontario — A homeless encampment in downtown Orangeville went up in flames.

Just before 4 p.m. on Friday, Dufferin Ontario Provincial Police were summoned to a small tent city fire on First Street in Orangeville.

Orangeville Fire Services were able to extinguish the flames and confirm there were no safety concerns.

The Dufferin OPP would like to thank the multiple members of the public who placed calls to emergency services about the fire.

OPP reminds people the Out of the Cold is a program run by Choices Youth Shelter located at 59 Town Line, and operates seven days a week from 9 p.m., to 8 a.m.

The program partners with the County of Dufferin and the Town of Orangeville to try and assist in providing shelter to encourage people living unhoused to come inside, out of the cold.