Story and photos by: Alexa Williamson
Further to my post yesterday about the Camden fire (which I thought was in the market but wasn’t exactly). Here’s the latest on the tragedy (although saying this, fortunately there were no fatalities – just a lot of damage).
No fatalities – although extensive damage to some buildings
Last night, as I walked to Chalk Farm tube, I saw all the smoke in the air emanating from just over the markets. It was shocking that it was still hanging around several hours after the blaze – but what do I know, first-hand, about major blazes?
At 4am yesterday, after heading home from a night out, I came back through Camden Town and the entirety of Chalk Farm Road was closed off.
Today, I was able to head towards the markets. The top end of Chalk Farm Road is now open. The part of it that runs from Camden Town tube up to the railway bridge/where it meets Castlehaven Road is not and there are still many police and firemen at the scene.
A police officer told me that there were “no fatalities” and the “only concern now is for the safety of the buildings around the Hawley Arms pub [which was badly damaged]“.
Only part of Camden Markets burned down
The entirety of Camden Markets did not burn down, as I’d guessed from the BBC’s news story last night and the pictures on it. The parts along the canal – ie the Canal Market – did. However, the rest didn’t. The Lock Market buildings just next to the railway bridge are smoke-stained and these and the areas behind them (including the market courtyard) are currently closed off. Again police told me, they “don’t know when they’ll re-open”.
However, the area of the Stables Market – 2 mins North of the railway bridge and surrounding the Horse Hospital antiques market – including the various catacombs of stalls – are all open for business as normal and today, upon my wander through them, were bustling with shoppers.
Don’t know the extent of the damage to the Hawley Arms or the buildings surrounding it. Fortunately, the fire wasn’t as bad as it could have been.
Further information:
Full story (BBC News)
Camden fires feature on damage done (BBC News)
Camden Markets info – includes map (Camdenmarkets.org)
Camden Markets area map (Streetmap.co.uk)
Hawley Arms pub info (Beer in the Evening)
Pictures (from the day after the blaze, 10.2.08):
