Camden Markets Gone

[cyberspice]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7237252.stm

This is terribly terribly sad...

I know I'm not the only one that, given the development wishes for the area, find this all a bit suspicious...

Comments

[alicephilippa.livejournal.com]

It is suspicious. Even if it cannot be demonstrated to have been arson then sadly it is not the first, nor will it be the last such convenient fire.

:(

Alice.

[echo-echo.livejournal.com]

I don't believe this is arson. Yes, given the seemingly precarious state of our alternative markets in general these days, it's easy to jump to conclusions. But would an arsonist really be able to do this at a very busy time, 7pm on a Sat evening and get away with no witnesses? Not to mention, there is a world of difference between arson and mass murder, which this potentially could have turned into.

I very much suspect that arson would have occurred at a far more salubrious time.

I'm hedging with a sad accident. From what I gather witnesses reported an explosion, possibly from the car maintenance garages adjacent. And I suspect sadly 'alternative market' also equated to 'poor maintenance and safety practices'. Not to mention, a lot of stalls close to each other, full of flammable items, possibly gas fires etc etc. I'm more surprised that this has never happened sooner tbh.

[cyberspice.livejournal.com]

You're probably right. Those markets were an accident waiting to happen. Its sad all the same.

[jozafeen.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I can still vaguely remember a similar thing happening to Leeds Markets back in the 70s and the stalls being so close together and having portable gas heating that caused it to spread incredibly quickly.

[maadlucas.livejournal.com]

sad it is.

haven't been in ages. going to go over easter to meet a lovely swiss lady who owns a wonderful shop of lovely. She may bring me a dress. Be interesting to see what'll have happened to camden in the interim...

[origamitiger.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with all of the above and the main damage has been to the shops in front of the market, I doubt it.

Not as many stalls were burnt as first thought.
My thoughts are with people who lost their homes, which there has been little or no media coverage of.