Eastern Market has burned down!

[displacedtexan]

The Post already has an article about the fire.

I heard the sirens (I'm about 4 blocks from there).

Historic Capitol Hill Marketplace Burns

By Howard Schneider, Debbi Wilgoren, and Allison Klein

Fire coursed through the shops of the historic Eastern Market on Capitol Hill early Monday morning, gutting the southern half of the 134-year-old landmark.

It took 160 District firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze, which tore through the roof and all but demolished the collection of meat, produce and other shops popular with neighborhood residents and throughout the region.

If you've never been, you've missed out on what is all too often presumed to be lacking about Washington, because Eastern Market was not just a collection of produce and meat stands in a 130-year-old brick building on Capitol Hill.

Fire chief Dennis L. Rubin said investigators believe the fire began in a dumpster behind the market, then spread to the building itself. Roads around the market, at 7th St. between C and D streets SE, were closed during the morning rush hour, the building still smoldering from the fire.

"This is devastating," said District fire spokesman Alan Etter. "Basically everything is charred and destroyed."

I'm going to walk down there and see for myself. Sad.

[Laughing Mirror]

1. Well not completely

Don't worry. The damaged parts will be rebuilt.

[displacedtexan]

2. Sad, though. Tourist season is just starting.

:(

[Laughing Mirror]

4. Then the tourists will just have to find another farmer's market in SE

They can cross the Anacostia and go to the farmer's market over there.

[demnan]

3. That's a shame

All the small vendors probably will have a hard time recovering from this.

[Recursion]

5. Fenty's looking for alternate locations for them

Apparently the city owns the building and is responsible for getting it running again. Oh boy... Look for more cranes soon

[displacedtexan]

6. Now, the Georgetown Public Library is on fire.

What's going on today?