Fire Began in a Dumpster Behind the Market, Investigators Say
Monday, April 30, 2007; 2:30 PM
Washington Post Metro
A transcript follows.
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Marc Fisher: Thanks for joining us on a sad and strange day. Not only has Eastern Market, one of Washington's most important gathering spots, been gutted by fire, but now the Georgetown Branch Library, one of the oldest and largest libraries in the D.C. system and home of the only archive of Georgetown history, is on fire. At last report, a two-alarm fire has burned away much of the building's roof and caused extensive, perhaps total, destruction of the archive and collection.
I'd especially like to hear from people who have worked in and around Eastern Market, as well as from those who enjoy visiting the market.
Before we get to your comments, questions and reminiscences, here's a note on how you can help:
As we'll all be reading and hearing about in the days to come, a long chain of victims will suffer from the Eastern Market fire, from the merchants to their employees and on to their suppliers and the vendors who work the outside market and of course the customers.
If you'd like to help with a fund being assembled on behalf of the merchants and their employees, contact the Capitol Hill Community Foundation through their web site:
http://www.capitolhillcommunityfoundation.org/
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washingtonpost.com: Capitol Hill Community Foundation
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washingtonpost.com: Public Library, District of Columbia
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washingtonpost.com: Eastern Market C.C.
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10th and C SE: We live three blocks from the market and are just crushed by what has happened. I grew up just two blocks north of the market, you could say it has been a part of my life since day one.
What plans, if any, have been made for relocation of the inside vendors? How can we support their businesses? Clearly they need customers to stay in business.
Any chance some of the outside vendors would be moved to a nearby location, even if it means displacing artists/flea market vendors on 7th St. and at Hine parking lot? Any chance the outside vendors can continue to work in place while reconstruction goes on?
Marc Fisher: Yes, there are already plans to go ahead with the outside vendors' part in the long-planned Market Day, a celebration of Eastern Market that was on the calendar for this coming weekend.
The artists, craftsmen, and others who sell their goods outside the Market have been told that they will be able to assume positions relatively close to the market next weekend. The public swimming pool adjacent to the Market has a large front plaza that its management has graciously volunteered to open up to vendors starting this week.
As for the inside merchants who own the stalls of Eastern Market, they will be out of commission for an unknown period. A local foundation has already set up a fund to assist those merchants and their workers. The web address is at the top of today's chat.
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washingtonpost.com: Save Eastern Market
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Washington, D.C. -- Capitol Hill: Eastern Market is not just the centerpiece of the neighborhood, it's also full of great food and fantastic people. It's a sad day. What can we do as citizens to aid in the rebuilding efforts? Will Market Days go on as planned next week?
Marc Fisher: Lots of regulars and neighbors were out at the scene this morning, asking exactly your question. At the moment, donating to the fund is probably the best thing to do. There are preliminary discussions underway about finding someplace where the stall merchants can operate during the rebuilding of the hall, and Mayor Adrian Fenty during his visit to the fire scene said that his administration will search for a good location for that to happen.
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washingtonpost.com: PBS: Great Public Places
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Capitol Hill, SE: I know there were plans for a refurbishing the Market caught in red tape hell. Will pre-existing plans mean that the rebuilding process might move faster (since most of the redesign work is already done)? Any idea on a timeframe until they might reopen. I'm very sad, Eastern Market is my favorite thing about living on the Hill.
Marc Fisher: Indeed, the debate over renovation of Eastern Market has been raging for more than a decade. Rocci is going to post a couple of links that will give you some background on that debate, which has gotten stuck on everything from who would control the building to what it should look like. The good news is that the design for the renovation was nearly complete and so it should be possible to go ahead with construction fairly quickly. But of course this is the District and quickly is a relative term.
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Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: Mr. Fisher --
This morning Eastern Market is gutted. The "Post" reported within the hour that the Georgetown Branch of the D.C. Public Library is ablaze, the entire roof in flames, the structure collapsing.
In one of the "Post's" reports this morning, someone alluded to a suspicious dumpster fire on the Hill before the Market began to burn. Now we have another major public building in flames.
Am I paranoid to begin wondering about arson? Is this a different reign of terror? (bin Ladin, by the way, understands the importance of iconic buildings -- the reason that he once planned to destroy the Eiffel Tower.)
Sorry to sound dazed, but I feel that my city is aflame.
Marc Fisher: I wouldn't jump to any conclusions about arson or conspiracies. Fire investigators at Eastern Market this morning did identify the cause of the blaze as a dumpster fire on the southern end of the building, and several merchants and neighbors reported a spate of dumpster fires in the area in recent weeks. But dumpster fires are an unfortunately fairly common occurrence, especially in areas with considerable populations of homeless people.
We have no reports as yet on the cause of the Georgetown library fire. Stay tuned to the site and we will have updates throughout the day.
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Washington, D.C.: I know this is mostly about the Eastern Market fire, but what about the D.C. Public Library Georgetown branch? I understand it was an archive of Georgetown history. Two pieces of history lost in one day. Could they be connected? Or did we just get horribly unlucky? My heart bleeds for the vendors of the Market, book lovers and all the people of D.C. over our losses today.
Marc Fisher: The Georgetown library was one of the terribly neglected gems of the D.C. system. The last time I was there, I was appalled to see the damage being done by leaking pipes, decrepit steam vents and roofing that was simply not maintained.
I think I've got a link up to a history of the library, which was built in the 30s and recalls that wonderful time when libraries were considered a necessity and a tool elemental to the American ideal of mobility. The rich wood paneling and gracious design demonstrated that this was no mere functional building, but a temple to knowledge and a means by which all classes could better themselves.
The branch was also the home to an extensive and unique archive on the history of the city's oldest and most historically important area. The loss of that archive is incalculable.
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Eastern Market, Washington, D.C.: I'm a neighbor and, in addition to shopping the market before work and on weekends, I take classes in the upstairs pottery studio. I have a feeling I already know the answer, but how has the pottery studio fared?
Marc Fisher: I'm not sure where the pottery studio is, but I am assuming it is on the north end of the building, above the crafts hall. That part of the building is relatively unscathed and entirely salvageable, the fire officials told us. It's the main hall, where the food vendors were, that is gutted.
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Washington, D.C.: Will the weekend outdoor flea market/art fair/fruit vendors continue to opperate even with the market closed?
Marc Fisher: There's a notice on the flea market's Web site saying that the market will continue as usual, including both the antiques section over on the schoolyard and the arts/crafts piece under the white umbrellas on the north end of the Market.
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Capitol Hill, D.C. (the neighborhood, not the government): Thanks for the info about the emergency fund. This morning walking around the ruins of Eastern Market I encountered the many merchants that I've patronized over the thirty years that I've lived on the Hill. They and their employees were looking dazed at the historic structure that half a day earlier had housed their businesses, their lives.
It's the people whom this fire has hurt so badly. Perhaps the city can reconstruct the building. But I wonder how many lives will be damaged by this terrible fire.
People who don't live on the Hill can't realize the central role that the Market played in residents' lives. For us, the Market was a part of community life, not a tourist stop. For us to see the Market in ruins feels like seeing our community in ruins.
Twenty-four hours ago -- when I last stopped into the Market to pick up supplies -- I enjoyed the usual crush of people, neighbors whom one encountered no where else it seems. Now we wonder when and how we will be able to rebuild our community.
Marc Fisher: Every single merchant I spoke to this morning was absolutely determined to rebuild and return as soon as possible.
There are some remarkable tragedies and ironies in this story, including the fact that one merchant was in the main hall last evening, installing a new section to his stall.
The merchants for the most part are insured; their losses will come mainly in the form of lost treasures (family pictures and relics), lost work, and a potentially devastating impact on their employees.
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washingtonpost.com: Eastern Market
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Washington, D.C.: On one of my first trips to D.C. before I moved here, I took off from visiting the Capitol toward what I thought was Union Station and ended up at Eastern Market instead -- I was amazed and vowed if I ever lived in D.C. I would live next to that fantastic place and that's exactly what I did do. Seven years of going there practically every day came to a halt this morning, and I'm just devastated.
Marc Fisher: I was surprised to learn from some of the food merchants this morning that they figured as many as 90 percent of their customers were Hill residents (unlike the outside vendors, who cater more to the visitors from elsewhere in the region and to tourists.)
Part of what makes Eastern Market so special is that it is a real, live local market that serves a community even as it appeals to people who come from a much wider area. Unlike most refurbished markets around the country, which are generally converted into tourist attractions, this one has remained intimately connected to its immediate community.
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Capitol Hill, D.C.: I walk to work through Eastern Market each day. I will miss the real, not Disney nature of the place. This will surely change with rehab. But the people make Eastern Market -- From Mrs. Calomiris giving you a banana with your purchase, to Melvin's signs -- Parking for Redskins Fans Only, to samples from the Cheese Man (The Boat is in, his sign said), to my smiling sandwich gals at Canales Deli. My college-age daughter who grew up in the Market Lunch pancake line called it the saddest thing forever.
Marc Fisher: Man, if everybody who has told me today about their kids getting free food from Mrs. Canales or Mr. Calomiris is telling the truth, these folks have been giving away a huge chunk of the merchandise!
I was astonished by how the merchants were interacting with people out on the street this morning, not only accepting all the good wishes and offers of help, but smiling and laughing through their sorrow--mainly because they were completely surrounded by people who feel that these merchants are an essential part of their daily lives.
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Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: The Eastern Market is the heart and soul of Capitol Hill and it was devastating this morning to see the building in person. It looks so much worse than photos can convey. The Canales family was there and I felt terrible for them. We on the Hill walked to the Market almost daily to shop for dinner and know all the vendors personally. We have few choices for food shopping now in the neighborhood. It's a very sad day for us all.
Marc Fisher: The Canales family's story is an extraordinary one, and I will put a more complete version of it up on the blog later today--this is an immigrant family that started with zilch and moved up step by step to the point that everybody--brothers, sisters, cousins--was working in the market. And now there's another generation, and they are teachers and finance people and so on, but they still come to the market on weekends to work the counter.
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Southeast, Washington, D.C.: Mr. Fisher, how do you think D.C. locals can most effectively contribute to getting Eastern Market back up and running?
Marc Fisher: Donating to the relief fund for the workers is the first and most direct step you can take. Afterwards, depending on how things go in the coming days, it may be important to put pressure on the city to get past all those years of fighting about the renovations, design and control of the facility and get the rebuilding underway.
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Washington, D.C.: Does anyone suspect arson in either fire?
Marc Fisher: Haven't heard a word yet about the library fire's cause. As for Eastern Market, yes, there are strong questions about the possibility of arson and we should have more on that soon.
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Petworth, Washington, D.C.: While Eastern Market is certainly important to those living in and around D.C., I can't say that Elanor Holmes's statement that it's important to the nation was even close to being accurate. I'd venture to say that virtually no one outside of this area has ever even heard of it. Would you agree?
Marc Fisher: No one has ever accused the non-voting delegate of being moderate in her language or attitudes. Eastern Market is a local treasure, surely unknown to the great majority of people around the nation, and even to many people who do live here.
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Washington, D.C.: As a resident of Capitol Hill and a frequenter of the Eastern Market for over 14 years, I am very concerned about each and every vendor and employee. I thank you for the Web page where we can make donations. In addition, is there any way that we can contact particular vendors to show our support and ask if they need anything? I have become friends with many of the vendors over the years. However, I don't really have anyone's contact information as I never needed it because I would see everyone at the Market at least one, if not two or three, times per week.
Marc Fisher: You should be able to ask the vendors themselves this weekend at the Market. The few I spoke to this morning were devastated. Few of us realize that the artists and craftspeople we see at the tables on the weekend are not hobbyists, but full-timers who create their works during the week and then sell them on weekends. More than 100 vendors work on the tables outside the Market building.
"This is my livelihood," Larry Gallo told me--he's the gent who stand alongside the market's eastern front selling the cufflinks and earrings (from ancient coins) that he makes.
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Washington, D.C. -- Capitol Hill: Marc, please look into why the Eastern Market renovations taken, like, decades to plan and have still not been carried out. Had these been done, a new alarm and sprinkler system would have probably been in place.
Marc Fisher: It's not yet clear whether that would have made a difference, but a lot of people are indeed wondering whether the renovation would have in any way protected the building from today's fire. In all likelihood, we'll never know.
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Ledriot Park, Washington, D.C.: I'm assuming that some type of insurance policy is in place that will cover some or all of the restoration costs. Any hope that this will help speed the process?
Marc Fisher: Many of the merchants were allowed to enter the wreckage this morning to try to retrieve money or other valuables from their safes, as well as important papers such as insurance policies. Most of the merchants said they had insurance and adjusters were already on the scene. But the workers have no insurance that would cover them and many of these businesses are too small to provide any meaningful support to those workers during an extended hiatus.
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12th and G NE: What can supporters of Eastern Market do to ensure it is restored to its original grandeur and not commercialized by franchises or razed for condos?
Marc Fisher: The Market is not going to be condo-ized. Everyone from the mayor to the D.C. council members to the managers of the place is assuring customers and business people alike that the Market will return with the same function and cast of characters.
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Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: Another thing that makes Eastern Market unique is the city is that it attracts shoppers from all walks of life ... from people using food stamps to seniors on fixed incomes to the lawyers and other professionals who increasingly live on the Hill. Black, white, Asian ... you name it, they are at the Market. Already there is talk about "upgrading" the Market. I'm all for having a greater focus on local sustainable products but it's important to ensure that all segments of our city can shop there. Eastern Market is one of the few places where we still all cross paths and interact.
Marc Fisher: I don't hear any voices calling for any change in the basics of the Market, inside or out.
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NE Washington, D.C.: I live near Eastern Market and shop there regularly. I also dance tango in the Market 5 Gallery. I am just devastated by the loss of our neighborhood jewel. Will the Market 5 Gallery still be open to hold events? Will the city be able to find another location for the indoor vendors? We will miss all the wonderful vendors we have come to know over the years.
Marc Fisher: Not yet clear what will happen for the inside vendors. There was some thought this morning that the arts and crafts vendors who use the north end of the hall may be able to proceed indoors almost immediately.
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Anonymous: I have to disagree that Eastern Market is unknown outside the area. That may have been true five years ago, but no longer. I have seen write-ups on the Market in numerous travel magazines. For those of us who are regulars, it is no longer uncommon to hear visitors chatting in French, Germany, Japanese, Russian, or any number of other languages.
Marc Fisher: That's true, and you do see a steady stream of foreign tourists there. But it's not a famous attraction along the lines of the city's monuments, memorials and the like.
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D.C., now:: Seeing video of G'town library makes me very sad. One hose for that entire building which is engulfed in flames. Probably 10 or more firefighters standing around watching as one hose lacking water pressure, doesn't reach the roof. We're going to lose that building, too. Should we not maybe take a look at response and capabilities of firefighting services here? Watching that video makes me really hope my place never has a similar situation ...
Marc Fisher: I'm sure our reporting will look into the question of resources and how many units were deployed at Eastern Market and whether that had any impact on the response at Georgetown.
A big fire can easily consume a substantial portion of the District's heavy equipment.
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Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.: I've been hearing fire department sirens all day. Is there something else going on here?
Marc Fisher: Haven't heard of anything beyond these two big fires, but you are close enough to the Market that you would hear units heading to and then from that direction. If any of those units that had already spent the morning on the Hill were then redeployed to G'town, you'd hear that where you are.
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Washington, D.C.: The city is the key actor here. If it chooses to study the issue to death with and endless array of hearings and assessments of alternatives, rebuilding could take years. On the other hand, if as almost all residents and vendors prefer, the goal is to restore the building with modern, up-to-date and code compliant systems to what we have known (and loved!) things could move quickly. Your move, Mr. Mayor ... so what do you think he'll do?
Marc Fisher: Mayor Blackberry is nothing if not action-oriented. If he can find a way to get this work going yesterday, that's always his inclination. Whether the system can move at his speed is another question entirely.
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Monroe, La.: My son moved to D.C. almost 13 years ago, and lived in a row house near Eastern Market. It was one of the first places that he took me to vista. Needless to say, I loved it. Everytime I visit my son, who now lives in Arlington, I try and find time to go to the Market. Love the blueberry pancakes on Saturday and all the wonderful market items. I have a print of Eastern Market that I purchased on my first visit, framed and in my home. It is such a special place that I cannot imagine it not being there anymore. I hope that some of the Market can be salvaged and that it will "rise from the ashes" to make more memories.
Marc Fisher: I'm with you, and somehow I think that's exactly what will happen.
We will have much more on this in the morning paper, as well as later on here on the big site. I'll update the blog before the end of the 9-5 workday.
And please check the Live Online discussions schedule tomorrow for followup chats with Eastern Market merchants and community members, right here on the big site.
Thanks for coming along today. I'll be back with you at the regular time Thursday at noon.
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Washington, D.C.: What a loss. Mr. Gallo created my favorite pair of earrings. I simply cannot think of anything else to say.
Marc Fisher: Just a little postscript--it's all about people at the market.
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