The incident happened around 8 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16, near the 900 block of South Front Street, close to the PennDOT building, according to emergency dispatchers.
Harrisburg city firefighters arrived to find the man suffering from severe burns, Fire Chief Brian Enterline said. Residents at the encampment had managed to pull the man from the flames before emergency crews arrived.
The man was initially taken to a local hospital and later airlifted to a burn center in Maryland, but he succumbed to his injuries, officials said.
Chief Enterline called the incident "a very unfortunate event," adding during a press conference that the fire was "accidental in nature," similar to incidents that could occur in a home.
The Harrisburg Police Department is continuing to investigate the fire, which has been described as tragic yet unintentional.
No further information about the victim or circumstances surrounding the fire was immediately available.
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