SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Over the past month, Mark Polinsky has had to call to 911 two times.
Both for fires he believes started in homeless encampments.
While he says he feels for those living by the riverbed, the flames are getting too close for comfort.
“I was closing up my house and I happened to notice a plume of smoke about 20 ft high,” said Mark Polinksy, a Mission Valley resident of 36 years.
The day of the fire near Fashion Valley Mall, Mark Polinksky was one of the first to call 911.
“I grabbed my keys, my smartphone, and my wallet, and I ran,” said Polinsky.
That was on January 21.
Then, just ten days later.
“I noticed the 20 ft plume of smoke coming from one of the two Hazard Center homeless encampments,” said Polinsky.
Polinsky believes the January fires started in the encampments, and has been calling the Metro Arson Strike Team, getting this answer:
“Our fire is still under investigation,” said Polinsky.
Now in February, as Polinsky looks out from his balcony-- he sees Fashion Valley Mall, a scorched hillside, and:
“A homeless camp,” said Polinsky.
With fears of another fire starting, he has called the City of San Diego to clean it up.
But the city told 10News it was Caltrans property.
Caltrans told us it was private property.
“I'm kind of, I hate to say, getting the run around,” said Polinsky.
This comes as the city is looking for new locations to house the homeless, after the proposed 1,000 bed shelter on Kettner and Vine didnt move forward.
“Yes, we need to shelter all of these people, or the majority of them that want to be sheltered. And I just want them out of these high fire-prone areas,” said Polinsky.
Councilmember Whitburn’s office told 10News in a statement, “My office is aware of this encampment and has been in ongoing communication with the San Diego Police Department’s Neighborhood Policing Division to address the situation. We will continue to monitor the situation and appreciate the community's efforts in keeping us informed to help resolve this issue promptly.”
