Yet another tent encampment in Toronto was the centre of a fire on Monday night, the latest in a trend that has residents urgently calling for the City to address its homelessness crisis.

The flames broke out amid a group of dozens of tents that have been clustered in Clarence Square on Spadina Ave. at Wellington for weeks — one of many of such makeshift communities in the city, and one that City staff have particularly had their eye on.

Residents posted alarming photos and videos of the blaze and its aftermath, which Toronto Fire Services received a call for at 10:31 p.m.

Fire at Clarence Park encampment just now
byu/drdalebrant intoronto

According to a spokesperson for the department, both police and fire crews responded to the incident, and arrived to find residents on the scene trying to extinguish one tent that was burning up.

First responders were thankfully able to quench the blaze without any injuries reported, though the scene appeared quite smoky and terrifying.

Fires have also torn through encampments under the Gardiner, in Fort York National Historic Site and in Kensington Market in the last month or so alone, while tent communities like this one in Clarence Square and the one outside St. Stephen-in-the-Fields Church on College Street have been cause for concern.

As one person said in a Reddit thread about this latest fire: "We need to figure out some solutions this is not sustainable. People need somewhere to live and residents need their parks back."

"Not surprised this has happened. It was simply a matter of time, for a large fire to happen."

Still, another expressed the common sentiment that they're "not a fan of people living in parks, but where else can they go?" while another said they felt the city's current strategy for dealing with encampments "is inhumane to the unhoused, and depletes the quality of life for the rest of us."

Encampment fire @ Clarence Square. Why can't the city find this tent community proper shelter for the winter??@cityoftoronto @oliviachow

— A Speck of Energy (@SpeckofEnergy) January 9, 2024

The City told other outlets in late December that it is "being responsive" to the needs of both those living in the Clarence Square and those who live nearby, estimating that there are 28 structures in the park, though "not all of these are necessarily associated with people experiencing homelessness and some may be used for storage or social gatherings."

In a comment Tuesday evening, staff also told blogTO that the City has contracted private securiy to watch over parks to "support community safety, specifically around encampments." Streets to Home outreach staff and other community partners also visit various sites daily.

In the case of Clarence Square, security is on site 24/7, and did call 911 about the fire, though it had already been reported.