Bury Market fire thought to been started by cigarette
- Bury's Market was seen ablaze on Monday, 50 years after it had previously burnt down
- Suggestions the fire had been started deliberately have been dismissed by the Fire Service
The otherwise bleak northern town of Bury boasts the title of UK's best market with Bury Market. The market is a potential cultural capital of the North West of England as it is an example of a community unifying to bring excellence to customers. TripAdvisor recently gave Bury Market a Certificate of Excellence as they gained guest reviews 4.5 or above based on 484 reviews online.
Yesterday, Monday 13th March, the famous market was seen on fire. Three fire engines attended the scene near to the markets delivery entrance near Market Parade around 6:10pm.
Once fire crews arrived on the site they discovered that a stack of plastic crates and a skip were blazing with flames seen to be at least 30ft high.
It is thought that the fire was started by a cigarette in the skip. The fire is believed to have begun in the skip before spreading to the nearby crates.
Damage is thought to have been confined to the vents in a chicken preparation room.
Suggestions were that the fire could have been deliberate, but the fire fighters first on scene dismissed this accusation after their initial inquiry implied that it was in fact not an arson attack upon the market.
The fire crew and Greater Manchester Police will nevertheless carry out an investigation into the incident.
Karl Grindrod, crew commander at Bury Fire Station, commented on the fire: “It was well alight when we arrived. The flames were at least 30ft high. Plastic burns well – it’s very lucky it didn’t affect the gas main above.”
People took to social media to share their shock surrounding the fire.
The fire incident around #burymarket is under control. A few pallets in a car park caused the smoke, no damage to the market or mill gate!
— Cllr Tamoor Tariq (@TamoorT) March 13, 2017
On Twitter @GarageMassage1 expressed his concern: "Hope the fire at #Burymarket is not serious. Brings a lot of people to the town."
As did radio presenter Jon Holling @jonhollingfm: "Sending positive vibes to everyone @BuryMarket this morning following the skip fire last night."
Another local was touched by the blaze, @bigglesdaf: "In November 1968 we lost Bury Market to a fire 2017 history nearly repeated itself!"
Bury Market @BuryMarket tweeted: "@MENnewsdesk could you please reassure all concerned that the Market's staff and traders are safe and well and we are open as usual today."
Bury Market was burnt to the ground in 1968, the market hall was completely devoured by the blaze. This did not stop trade though as outdoor traders shared their stalls with indoor traders who had lost their market hall as a sign of empathy.
The first fire was 50 years ago, and another northern market was the victim of a fire recently, Ashton Market in 2004.
The New Market Hall in Bury, described as one of the best equipped and most architecturally striking market halls in the north-west and Open Market were built at an estimated cost of £900,000.