Fire destroys travel trailers in Merced County homeless encampment

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Red Cross is helping about a dozen people after an overnight fire destroyed several travel trailers in Merced County.

The fire broke out just before 12:30 am Monday in what firefighters say is a homeless encampment on Beachwood and Cabot just north of Merced.

Firefighters say the blaze started under some powerlines.

The energized lines kept fire crews from attacking the flames until PG&E arrived and cut off power to the area.

Power was out to nearly one thousand people for about three hours.

Three trailers were destroyed, leaving 12 to 13 people displaced, no one was hurt.

A Merced fire investigator was on scene looking into what caused the fire.