Petulia Clarke, Staff Reporter
SPECULATIONS THAT arson caused the fire which flattened the over 100-year-old Victoria Jubilee Market in downtown Kingston two months ago have been put to rest, with the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) accepting experts' findings that the fire was accidental.
The results of an intensive investigation by forensic personnel within the police and local fire department were recently handed to the KSAC, and Commercial Services manager, Gary Robotham said that, on that basis, they were able to get a full settlement from the insurance company.
The $5 million cheque was handed over Monday and will be used for final clean-up efforts at the market.
However, work will be stalled at the market, as the KSAC hasn't yet obtained the $20 million that it estimated would be needed to rebuild the market.
Mr. Robotham said that the KSAC had to dig into its funds to do initial cleaning up of the market, and the $5 million will just be enough to go towards further clearing of debris.
The KSAC is awaiting the assistance it appealed for from the Ministry of Local Government and other agencies.
"Work has stalled because of the unavailability of funds, we would like to start (rebuilding) as soon as possible but we just don't have the funds," Mr. Robotham said. "We've made the appeal, so we'll just wait, because the reality is that we just don't have the money to do it ourselves."
Hundreds of vendors lost their wares in the April 27 fire, initially said to be caused by an electrical short circuit.
The KSAC, while not offering compensation to the vendors, relocated them to other areas of the city. The alternatives to the Jubilee Market included meat shop, agricultural produce and cook-shop spaces in the nearby Queen's Market; dry goods spaces in the Pearnel Charles Arcade and Redemption Ground Market; and numerous spaces at the Oxford Mall Arcade.
