Two people suffered life-threatening injuries after a fire in a homeless camp in Austin this morning. The Austin Fire Department says they were called to the camp on East Stassney Lane near I-35 and found two victims. The Fire was only about 10 to 15 feet in diameter in a wooded area, but still seriously injured two adults who had been camped there. Austin-Travis County EMS rushed the victims to a hospital with what were said to be life-threatening injuries. Firefighters say it appears the fire was caused by “unintentional spread of either a cooking fire or warming fire.”
Governor Greg Abbott has frequently voiced concerns about Austin's homeless problem. Abbott tweeted, "Austin’s camping policies endanger the homeless. They must end camping & provide shelter."