Smoke inhalation claimed life of homeless man called ‘Frank’
It was a 52-year-old homeless man who died in last month’s fire at a ramshackle shack in Thorold, The Standard has learned.
Niagara Regional Police said the man found dead at the fire scene in the brush near an industrial area off of Wellington Street North on Oct. 25 is from no fixed address and died from smoke inhalation.
The cause of the fire, which destroyed most of the shack, has not been released.
Police said the man’s next of kin did not authorize the the release of his name.
However, people who work with the local homeless community said they knew the man as “Frank.”
It is not clear how long he may have been living in the shack, but local outreach workers said he often refused to to come into shelters or housing when it was offered to him.
Betty-Lou Souter, chief executive officer of Community Care of St. Catharines and Thorold, said some homeless people refuse to come indoors for a variety of reasons. Some have mental health conditions, while others are dealing with addictions issues. Still others will refuse to obey rules that come with staying at a shelter and prefer to remain outdoors.
Souter said she was not sure what Frank’s circumstances were without more positive confirmation of his identity, but said there are a few men who go by that name who use local homeless services who also do not like to come indoors.
The Thorold fire department and police officers responded to the scene of the fire at about 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 25. Flames shot 4.5 metres into the air and consumed most of the shack. Fire crews were able to quickly knock the fire down, but a man was found dead. NRP forensics officers initially investigated the death, but ruled out foul play.