Flames erupt from homeless encampment, spread to vehicles nearby
Flames erupt from homeless encampment, spread to vehicles nearby | Sonia Izak @scoopthestoopnyc

Flames Erupt from Homeless Encampment, Spread to Vehicles Nearby

A homeless man’s Upper East Side sidewalk encampment, including a massive pile of cardboard signs, erupted in flames and quickly spread to two vehicles parked nearby, witnesses and officials tell Upper East Site

The fire sparked in a homeless encampment which included large piles of cardboard signs
The fire sparked in a homeless encampment which included large piles of cardboard signs | Sonia Izak @scoopthestoopnyc

FDNY officials say the first call for help about a rubbish fire in front of 300 East 95th Street —near Second Avenue across from Merrion Square pub — came in at 2:40 pm Friday afternoon. 

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A witness tells Upper East Site they heard popping sounds as the 10 foot tall flames burned through the piles of cardboard and spread to a HVAC company’s van and the SUV parked in front of it. 

The aftermath of the encampment fire on East 95th Street
The aftermath of the encampment fire on East 95th Street | Alex Ivanov

Hoses in hand, teams of firefighters, doused the intense, jumping flames from both sides — as the homeless man, whose encampment and cardboard signs were burning, sat on the median along Second Avenue with more cardboard piled up around him there as well.

The homeless man could be seen sitting on the median in front of onlookers as firefighters doused the flames
The homeless man could be seen sitting on the median in front of onlookers as firefighters doused the flames | Sonia Izak @scoopthestoopnyc
Piles of the man's cardboard can be seen on the Second Avenue median after the fire
Piles of the homeless man’s cardboard can be seen on the Second Avenue median after the fire | Sonia Izak @scoopthestoopnyc

Earlier this month, Upper East Site spotted the same man on East 96th Street moving two shopping carts, as well as several large package containers like those used from Amazon delivery workers, all filled with cardboard signs containing unintelligible messages.

The homeless man moved shopping carts and bags filled with cardboard to the area earlier this month | Upper East Site
The homeless man moved shopping carts and bags filled with cardboard to the area earlier this month | Upper East Site
The homeless man displays a sign to traffic with his piles of cardboard on the sidewalk earlier this month | Upper East Site
The homeless man displays a sign to traffic with his piles of cardboard on the sidewalk earlier this month | Upper East Site

The homeless man, cigarette in his mouth, only stepped away from his multiple large piles of cardboard that morning to hold up a single sign to drivers passing by.

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Once firefighters got Friday’s fire extinguished, a propane tank could be seen in the area of the encampment, next to the burned out van — however, it is not clear what role it may have played in the incident.

A propane tank can be seen sitting next to the burned-out van
A propane tank can be seen sitting next to the burned-out van | Xander Miller

The FDNY tells Upper East Site that Fire Marshals are investigating what exactly sparked the flames.

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