RV fires prompt city to clear out homeless camp under bridge

City crews are clearing out an unsanctioned homeless camp under the West Seattle Bridge Tuesday, where two RVs burned in a fire last week, with flames shooting up to the bridge above.

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Twelve days ago, the city told KIRO 7 reporter Patranya Bhoolsuwan that they wouldn’t clear out the camp, but after the fire, that changed as concerns came up about hazards to the structure of the bridge.

On Tuesday, crews put up fences and began cleaning up the camp known as “Trollsville” beneath the east side of the West Seattle Bridge in Seattle’s Industrial District.

City outreach workers were out early trying to get people staying in tents, cars, and RVs to find a new place to live as soon as possible.

Sgt. Eric Zerr, with the city’s homeless navigation team, said the city can no longer ignore the dangers.

“We want to diminish hazards for people down here and the danger of bridge being unsafe,” said Zerr. “The amount of combustible here with the RVs, propane tanks and gasoline, makes it an area that is just unsafe.”

But homeless advocate Simon Stevens says the city needs to offer a similar space for these people to go.

“They can’t expect them to move nowhere.  They have to have a safe place for them to go,” said Stevens.

Despite a 72-hour eviction notice posted at the site, the city said it may take a week or longer to get everyone out.