Camden Market Fire: The Morning After

by Jordan Yerman | February 10, 2008 at 06:59 am

10112 views | 25 Recommendations | 15 comments

Update: no reports of anyone hurt, though the damage to local businesses is absolutely massive: stall owners would have lost everything, and few could afford insurance. This event will very likely change the nature of the neighborhood, which was gentrifying already. Missing a busy Sunday is bad enough for a stall trader, but adding in the replacement costs for an entire stock, and getting back on one's feet is looking very challenging indeed.

Storage buildings for the market and the Hawley Arms pub were severely damaged, but no injuries were reported.

Some 100 firefighters tackled the blaze, which began about 1920 GMT, and some are continuing to dampen down hotspots.

Although Camden Council set up an emergency shelter in a sports hall with 100 beds available, only six people, including three children, spent the night there after their homes were evacuated. About 20 others were given accommodation at hotels.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Chalk Farm Road and parts of Camden High Street, as well as surrounding one-way streets, are expected to be closed for the next three or four days."

Update: conflicting reports on whether anybody is trapped in market:

So far no
casualties or injuries have been reported but it is not clear if
anybody was trapped in the market stalls and shops when fire broke out.

Police
have closed much of Camden High Street, Chalk Farm Road and other roads
surrounding the blaze, which is reaching up to 30 feet in the air.

A fire has broken out in a busy London neighborhood, and emergency crews are trying to rescue those still trapped.

A number of people are reportedly trapped in a serious blaze at London's famous Camden Market, according to the London Fire Brigade.

A spokesman confirmed it was a "major fire" and said eight fire engines were in attendance following a 999 call.

Firefighters were called to the market in Chalk Farm Road, north London, at about 7.10pm on Saturday.

Police are sealing off roads around the blaze which is reaching up to 30ft in the air.

Revellers from local pubs and bars have been moved away from the danger area and crowds have been dispersed because of fears there may be gas canisters within the area affected by the fire.

The markets themselves would be closed, but Camden High Street, Chalk Farm Road and their tributaries are host to clubs, pubs, bars, cafés and restaurants.

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Albert Milliron

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 13:05 on February 9th, 2008

jordan,very fast good catch. Good stuff.

Albert Milliron

at 13:06 on February 9th, 2008

Jordan.. you beat me. Ijust heard this on BBC and it was first reported in the US just 14 minutes ago

Jordan Yerman

at 13:09 on February 9th, 2008

I have friends who used to live up there, and I used to visit all the time. Half of my pre-owned clothing is from the various stalls of Camden Market

Jordan Yerman

at 13:09 on February 9th, 2008

This is a breaking story, and will now show up on the home page for four hours. If new developments justify it, I'll renew this flag for another cycle.

liamssoft

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 14:35 on February 9th, 2008

The traffic was unusually heavy along the Finchley road and the
Kilburn high road this evening. The fire obviously caused the traffic
to be dispersed along these other routes.

I'm pleased there are no reported casualties and hope that it stays that way.

Zlender

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:04 on February 9th, 2008

jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Jeff Galasso

at 08:08 on February 10th, 2008

The day after the fire, the block damaged was cordoned off by police as fire fighters ensured the blaze was extinguised. Local indie-rock haunt The Hawley Arms is seen here, having been severely damaged by the inferno. The stores around the corner appeared to be completely gutted as well. A couple hours later, I still smell of burnt buildings, but as a Camden Town resident of over three years, I have a feeling the sadness I feel will outlast it.

The rest of my photos can be found here.
Jeff Galasso has contributed a photo to this story.

silverstealth

at 08:01 on February 10th, 2008

We arrived as the area was being secured by the police, Roads were closed and it was difficult to see the true extent of the fire. We chose the best view point to capture some o f the scenes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/silverstealth/sets/72157603880526558/

More Images here.

silverstealth has contributed a photo to this story.

andy fitter

at 08:19 on February 10th, 2008

I was out on the High St when the fire broke out. Eventually the police evacuated us through the side door of the bar I was in. Took me ages trying to find a route home - I captured this shot whilst working my way through the Stables Market at around 9:30PM

andy fitter has contributed a photo to this story.

Jordan Yerman

at 08:39 on February 10th, 2008

Parts of Chalk Farm Road and Camden High Street will be closed for days as investigation and cleanup efforts continue. Northern Line tube services at Chalk Farm, Camden Town and Mornington Crescent are unaffected, but it's the Northern Line so expect delays anyway.

Screen Deb

at 09:21 on February 10th, 2008

Early this morning the firemen were still trying to quench the embers. As a local resident who loves Camden market it was sad to see local shop owners still unable to get into their shops.

Screen Deb has contributed a photo to this story.

Swan

at 12:00 on February 10th, 2008

Associated Press - 50 minutes ago:

LONDON - Firefighters dug through the wreckage of London’s famed Camden market Sunday trying to determine what sparked a massive blaze that damaged the market and area buildings.

It took 100 firefighters three hours to put out the fire Saturday
night. There were no casualties, but the blaze damaged clothing and
craft market stalls and nearby buildings.

The Hawley Arms, a pub popular with celebrities such as singer Amy
Winehouse, rocker Pete Doherty and model Kate Moss, was among the
casualties.

"In a word, I’m devastated," Ruth Charles-Ridler, the pub’s
landlady, said as she arrived at the scene to assess the damage Sunday
morning. "Everyone I’ve spoken to is in complete shock.

"This was a good community pub where everybody knew everybody else," she said. "It is a great loss to Camden Town."

The bustling commercial
and residential area in north London, with its open markets and a
scenic canal, is one of the British capital’s top shopping and tourist
destinations.

"It’s quite a heavy blow" to Camden’s many small shops, said local business owner Steve Norris.

Sunday is traditionally the busiest day of the week for shoppers at Camden Town’s shops, cafes, pubs and markets.

Police kept the burned-out area closed off with a cordon on Sunday
morning but allowed tourists and shoppers to use a large part of the
unaffected Camden High Street commercial area.

Firefighters said it was too early to say what caused the disaster.

About 40 firefighters were working their way through the remaining
"hot spots" toward the center of the blaze, said senior firefighter Guy
Foster. Their progress was hampered by concerns that some buildings
were structurally unsafe.

Some roads, sidewalks, subway and train lines remained closed Sunday.

Among the tourists hoping to shop at Camden Market was Marie-Francoise Tagnais, who was visiting the area for the first time.

"I’m going back to France today and I wanted to see this market, which is famous in London," she said. "So I am disappointed."

- Copyright © 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Albert Milliron

at 14:58 on February 10th, 2008

Jordan, Thats what makes you a good journalist, you are well traveled. Good catch as I said last night. It makes it easyer to write a story when your understand the area. I think thats why my story on the missing hiker story in georgia did so well. I hiked those trails. I noticed the quicker we get stuff on NP the more traffic we receive. Many of my posts ended up the top listing on google within minutes of posting it.