The Charlottetown Farmers’ Market faced fire damage on Christmas Day causing concern among vendors about the future of the market. The Charlottetown Farmers’ Market Co-operative announced the closure of the market indefinitely due to the fire incident, stating plans to seek a temporary operating space. Significant exterior and smoke damage was reported by the cooperative.
A GoFundMe fundraiser link was shared, quickly raising over $2,000 within an hour. The market, a popular spot for locals, typically operates on Saturday mornings with about 60 local vendors. Claudia Pérez, owner of El Sabor de Mexico and a market vendor, expressed sadness upon discovering the damage caused by the fire, highlighting the market’s importance to many vendors’ livelihoods.
Pérez emphasized the challenge of finding a space to accommodate the vendors and the uncertainty affecting their financial stability. Kent Mitchell, deputy fire chief, extended sympathies to vendors and market visitors, mentioning that firefighters responded to the scene at 100 Belvedere Ave. early Thursday morning.
The firefighters battled the fire for three hours and remained on-site until 8:30 a.m. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire, with Mitchell mentioning significant fire and smoke damage to the building. Further assessments will provide a clearer picture of the extent of the damage.
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