Kitchener-Waterloo

Roofing torch sparked fire at St. Jacob's Market's Peddlar's Village, police say

A fire that caused $150,000 in damage to the Peddlar's Village building at the St. Jacob's Farmers' Market on Thursday was accidentally started by a roofing crew making repairs, police say.

Livestock exchange also had extensive water damage

Firefighters were able to quickly put out the fire at Peddlar's Village at the St. Jacob's Farmers' Market on Thursday, owner Marcus Shantz said. (@CathysKombucha/Twitter)

The fire at Peddlar's Village at the St. Jacob's Market last week was accidentally sparked by a roofing torch, police say.

A roofing crew was repairing a section of the roof when the fire started Thursday afternoon. 

Damage to Peddlar's Village was pegged at $150,000, but it was unclear how much the fire will cost the more than 70 individual vendors that operate out of the building. Police said the adjacent Ontario Livestock Exchange also had water damage.

The blaze was contained to the Peddlar's Village and did not spread and the Woolwich Fire Department said the building's sprinkler system helped to contain the fire.

Building remains closed

The building was closed for Saturday's market and on its Facebook page, market officials said it is unclear when the building will reopen.

Peddlar's Village is not the same building that burned to the ground at the St. Jacob's Market in September 2013. It is a smaller building, made of converted barns that is home to a number of food vendors and an indoor flea market.  

The main market building was rebuilt and re-opened in June 2015.