A large fire at a tent at a St. Paul homeless encampment left behind charred property, the fire department said.

St. Paul firefighters responded to the encampment behind the old Kmart on Maryland Avenue off Interstate 35E about 3:30 a.m. Monday.

The tent’s occupant was able to get out without injuries and reported he had a wood-burning grill inside the tent he used for heating, said Deputy Fire Chief Jamie Smith.

The fire was ruled accidental, started inside the tent, and was likely caused by an open flame coming into contact with the tent’s flammable material, Smith said.

Firefighters found charred property in an area about 30 feet in diameter in and around the tent; there were portable grills, propane tanks, a large gas burner and household items, according to Smith.

The city of St. Paul closed a homeless encampment last week at the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary. At least 40 people lived at the site, which previously had tent fires.

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