Market Traders Express Livelihood Concerns Following Fire Closure

Two traders articulated fears for their livelihoods after a market was indefinitely closed subsequent to a fire. Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue service reported that 11 appliances and their crews addressed the blaze at Milton Keynes Market, located adjacent to Centre:MK, at approximately 19:27 GMT on Tuesday. Krishna Siba, a vendor of groceries and vegetables, stated: “This is all my livelihood, my staff, my family… we all depend on this.” The Milton Keynes Development Partnership, which holds ownership of the market, and Milton Keynes City Council, have both been contacted for comment. A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police indicated that the fire’s origin was attributed to an electrical fault. Mr. Siba recounted closing his shop around 19:15 on Tuesday, and receiving a call 10 minutes later informing him his shop was on fire. Upon his arrival at the scene, he described that “the fire was already in the sky burning up” and had spread to another outlet situated behind his, beneath Secklow Gate bridge. Since the incident, he mentioned consistently receiving calls from his customers “who come in day in day out and now they cannot do any shopping.” Raju Khurana, 49, who operates a stall providing mobile phone and watch repairs, declared that his livelihood had ceased for the time being. He informed the BBC that he could “not sleep” after the fire. Despite his stall not being near the one that burned down, he emphasized that if the market remained closed, all traders would be affected. According to reports from some traders, a portion of the market had recommenced operations on Thursday. In a statement released on social media, the Milton Keynes Market team conveyed that it was “deeply saddened” by the news. Fundraising campaigns have been established to assist market traders impacted by the fire.