Ceiling fan malfunction caused Broad Street Market fire, officials say

• By Sue Gleiter/PennLive.com

A massive early Monday morning fire that destroyed the Broad Street Market’s brick building was caused by a large ceiling fan fixture, Harrisburg officials said during a press conference Monday afternoon.

Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline said that the fan, which was installed in the market in 2017, had an electrical malfunction, which was what started the fire.

“This was an accidental fire,” Enterline said. “I know there’s a lot of scuttlebutt that it may have intentionally set. One hundred percent it was an accidental fire in that ceiling fan fixture.”

The second-alarm fire broke out around 1 a.m. and was so powerful it melted some nearby lamppost lights.

The fire, which was visible from the West Shore, was confined to the brick section of the market, with the separate, much smaller stone building untouched.

The press briefing was held outdoors in front of the market building with officials including Gov. Josh Shapiro and State Rep. Patty Kim. Shapiro vowed to offer state assistance to the city as it begins the rebuilding process.

“This market matters. It has mattered for more than a century. It’s a great place of great fellowship and a is a place that we love and are excited to see rebuilt,” Shapiro said.

The governor thanked the firefighters for their work battling the fire, explaining the government now needs to pull together following their example. He said Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency is already coordinating with the Small Business Administration to help vendors get the support they need.

In addition, Shapiro said the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture will work with vendors to keep them in business while the rebuilding takes place. Mayor Williams and local government will determine what the rebuild looks like and work with the Department of Community and Economic Development to support vendors with grants and loans.

“The Commonwealth is going to be here to support and assist, not dictate but to support and assist and we look forward to partnering with Mayor Williams and her department,” Shapiro said.

Earlier today, the market’s Executive Director Tanis Monroy said they plan to rebuild the building, although no timeline is in place. The building housed about 23 vendors and the entire market was undergoing a beautification project that involved fresh paint and cleaning.

Many call the market a community gathering place where generations of city residents have shopped. Vendors include a mix of those selling produce, prepared meals, butchered meats and coffee.

Cebrum George II, owner of Nuborn Skin at the market, said he learned about the fire through a string of early morning text messages. He has operated at the market for about four years selling his line of skincare products.

“It’s a hub, it’s essentially a place where people come,” George said. “Basically, it’s like a community.”

He said he doesn’t know of plans for the vendors or the extent of damages to his business. But he noted unlike some of the other vendors selling food, he could temporarily sell from the market’s outdoor courtyard if permitted.

Moving forward, George said a rebuilt market might be better and is all relative to how much the community is willing to help.

The market was founded in 1860 and is considered to be the oldest continuously operated market house in the U.S. The market is owned by the City of Harrisburg overseen by a board of directors and in 2017 became a private non-profit entity.