Underground Homeless Camp Found After Fire
From Times Wire Reports
Fire officials discovered an underground homeless encampment after a fire sent smoke billowing out of storm drains and sidewalk cracks.
About a dozen people lived in vaults near Lake Merritt created by the concrete retaining walls holding up 12th Street.
Officials said residents had tapped into power lines under the street to run appliances, including a refrigerator. Firefighters found stereos, televisions, food and other household items. No one was injured in Friday’s fire.
City officials said they would consider sealing off the crawl spaces along the shore of Lake Merritt.
