WATCH: Vendors counting loss after fire engulf ‘Ray Ray’ market
KINGSTON, Jamaica— Vendors of the Ray Ray market in downtown Kingston are once again picking up the pieces Tuesday morning after a section of the market was razed on Monday.
READ: WATCH: Fire raging at Ray Ray market in downtown Kingston
One vendor told OBSERVER ONLINE that this latest incident is the 11th or 12th time that she has had to restart her business due to fire damage, since she started selling in the market some 12 years ago.
“I don’t know what happened. I just got a call that my business place is on fire, when I came this morning, this is the rubble,” the vendor said.
Reports are that the fire started about 10 pm, and engulfed several wooden stalls. Multiple firefighters were on the scene trying to extinguish the blaze.
“I can’t pinpoint and say it was deliberate. I don’t hear nothing in the streets, I have no idea. All I know I got a phone call last night that my business place was on fire,” she added.
She said that due to past experiences she had stopped storing all her wares in the market, so she has only lost one barrel of children’s clothing in yesterday’s fire. Now she is hoping for assistance to get back on her feet.
“I will ask family members to assist me and I have some good customers, they will come and assist me too. I’m just trying to pick up the pieces,” the vendor said.
The market suffered a similar fate last year, so vendors are calling on Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie for assistance.
READ: WATCH: Fire raging at downtown Kingston ‘Ray Ray’ market
“Good morning, Mr Desmond McKenzie what are you going to do for us selling downtown to maintain our children and our grandchildren? We need some help. Every year it’s the same thing – burn out, burn out, burn out,” she lamented.
“We are not squatters, we are paying $300 every day for market fee and if we want to use the bathroom, we have to pay $50 to use the bathroom. What is the $300 for?” she questioned.
Just under a year ago, police named a suspect in the February 22, 2022 burning of the Ray Ray market but no arrests have been reported.
READ: Police list person of interest in ‘Ray Ray’ Market fire
