Update: Residents describe chaos, fear as fire destroys tents at Modesto homeless camp

A Friday fire at the outdoor homeless camp under the Ninth Street Bridge at Tuolumne River Regional Park destroyed four tents, damaged two and displaced five camp residents.

The blaze started about 3:20 a.m. at the north end of the camp, which consists of about 350 to 400 residents in tightly packed, 10-foot-by-10-foot tents. The camp is a joint effort between Modesto and Stanislaus County.

City spokesman Thomas Reeves said no injuries were reported, and residents who were displaced will be relocated at the camp or at another shelter. And while authorities have determined in which tent the fire started, they have not found a cause.

One couple said the fire started in the tent next to theirs. They and others at the camp said they heard explosions and loud pops as the fire burned. Residents are allowed to have propane and butane canisters that they use for grills and other cooking equipment. They are required to use them in a designated cooking area.

“When I woke up from the heat, it was so hot,” Caleb Pietrantonio said. “When I opened my eyes, it was brighter than the middle of the day. And I could see shadows of people running around. And I heard of lot of people screaming. I thought we were already on fire. I thought we were already burning. So when I woke up, I was just waiting for the pain to kick in.”

Ana Zamora said she got out of the tent just before it was engulfed in flames. She said they lost all of the little that they owned but are grateful to be alive and for the help they received from Turning Point, the nonprofit hired to coordinate services at the camp. Officials call it the Modesto Outdoor Emergency Shelter, which opened in February.

The couple said the man who lived in the tent next to theirs was not home when the fire started. A Turning Point official said he has not been seen at the camp since the fire.

The camp’s fire extinguishers are locked in an office trailer at night, but the security guards have keys to the office. Reeves, the city spokesman, said extinguishers would not have made a difference in this fire.

He said officials are looking at whether to have more extinguishers that would be readily accessible by residents. But he said a concern is that the extinguishers would be vandalized, damaged or stolen. “We have to consider the population we are serving,” he said.

Reeves said firefighters were on scene in less than five minutes.

Camp resident Jeanette Santiago described a chaotic scene as panicked residents tried to flee.

“It was scary,” she said. “Everybody was in shock and didn’t really know what to do. We didn’t know who had fire extinguishers or water. ... I think we should have a fire drill. One exit (the camp’s main gate) not good, not good at all.”

Reeves said everyone was able to get out safely, some through the main gate, but others just pushed down sections of the temporary chain-link fence that rings the camp.

He said city and county officials meet Fridays to discuss the camp and talked Friday about what steps to take after the early morning fire.

For example, he said, no later than this Saturday residents should have basic maps of safe zones where they can go in the camp during a fire. He said there are at least a couple of areas within the camp that are far from the tents. He said this step is being taken as a more detailed evacuation map is being developed that will be provided to every camp resident.

“We definitely have a broad emergency plan specific to flooding, and that includes an evacuation plan to higher ground, and we used bits of that last night,” Reeves said.

And he said officials are looking at what people can and cannot store in their tents and considering inspections to ensure compliance. He said officials will work quickly on finalizing and implementing steps to improve camp safety.

This story was originally published April 12, 2019 at 5:56 PM.