Public safety officials are investigating two fires that have occurred at a homeless camp over the past two weeks.
A structure similar to a shed built in the area behind Walmart and Harbor Freight Tools, known as "The Jungle," burned on Monday, Ithaca firefighters said. No one was injured.
Ithaca firefighters and Ithaca police were dispatched to the area at 12:30 p.m. for a large volume of black smoke in the area, firemen said.
Fire crews had a difficult time finding the best way to get to the fire, so they stretched about 500 feet of a hose into the encampment, where they extinguished the blaze, fire officials said.
A large propane tank was very close to the fire on Monday, firefighters said.
On Sept. 5, crews extinguished a camper fire in The Jungle, firefighters said.
"No one was injured, but like this recent blaze, there was heavy damage, and it could have been worse," said Lt. Thomas Basher, spokesman for the Ithaca Fire Department.
The cause of each fire is undetermined, firefighters said. The Ithaca Police Department is investigating both events.