There were also a considerable number of homeless people among those that died, although, as Puchalska says, it will be difficult to assess exactly how many before legal proceedings start. Some of those who died had no ID on them, but this does not necessarily mean they were homeless. Many of the homeless do not use the shelters available for them. These places not only give them somewhere to stay on cold winter nights, but can also provide reasonably permanent accommodation. Sometimes, a person seeking shelter turns out to be a criminal on the run.
Some shelters send people out onto the streets to invite the needy to make use of their assistance.
But, especially in the case of alcoholics, even this tactic can fail. When a homeless person decides to ask for help, they will always receive it. In the winter they are usually full up. However, the shelters could always do with additional financial and material backing.