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Seattle to send navigation team to encampment where fire started

By Natasha Chen
By Natasha Chen

SEATTLE — After a fire erupted at a homeless encampment Sunday afternoon underneath the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the city of Seattle will send its navigation team to meet with people there on Tuesday.

Julie Moore, the communications director for the city of Seattle Finance and Administrative Services department, said the navigation team will assess the situation, provide outreach to individuals and determine next steps.

There are about 20 tents near the location of the two-acre fire on Sunday. No one was injured.

"It was kind of scary," said Karissa Chico, whose belongings were stored at the encampment. "I was scared, because I didn't know what was going on. I didn't know who was here, what had happened."

Moore told KIRO 7 the city prioritizes encampment cleanups based on issues like health and safety. She said it approaches encampments that are most hazardous to the surrounding community as well as those living there.

“I kind of had this feeling that something like that could easily happen because, you know, they’ve got all their stuff with them and a lot of it is flammable,” said Loretta Vosk, who lives in the area.

Another neighbor told KIRO 7 Sunday night she had seen open flames in the area in the past week.

Two encampment residents said the suspect in Sunday's fire, Kelly Robert Jensen, had started fires there before Sunday.

Jensen was arrested Sunday after a witness told police he had added cardboard to the fire. Police said they found lighters and a matchbook on him.

The city has previously focused attention on addressing encampments under major infrastructure, like the “Jungle” under I-5 and a smaller encampment under the West Seattle Bridge.

Moore said the navigation team was formed earlier this year and has achieved these results through July 7, 2017:

    • 3,091 total contacts to a total of 895 individuals.
    • Of those 895 individuals, 321 (36 percent) accepted relocation to safer spaces, including shelter, authorized encampments and reconnecting with family or other support system.
    • 598 of 895 (67 percent) accepted some sort of service, including case management support/referral; mental health support/referral; substance use disorder treatment referral; state ID acquisition assistance; medical support/referral; coordinated entry housing assessment (VISPDAT); King County Housing Authority lottery registration; employment support; benefits activation support; vehicle repairs; and basic needs.

The city also opened a navigation center with 75 beds in July and will open a shelter with 100 beds at First Hill’s First Presbyterian Church in August.

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