Two teenage girls have been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire ripped through a derelict market in north Manchester.
Firefighters were called to the old Conran Street Market in Harpurhey at around 9pm yesterday. Pictures from the scene show flames shooting in the air as onlookers watch on.
The site, which was thought to be the last privately-owned market in the city, closed in July after trading for almost a century. It was sold at auction on July 30 to an unknown buyer for £738,000.
Community reaction
Speaking at the time, Mark Nelson, who spent 18 years working on the market, said the closure had left him ‘destroyed’.
"It was a community, everyone looked after each other," he told the Manchester Evening News. "Back in the day, custom was really good. When you got here in the morning if you did not have a regular stall, you’d have to wait until 8.30am to get one. Forty five people would wait and 20 would be sent home."
Police investigation
A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: "We were called at around 9.20pm yesterday evening to reports of a fire on Conran Street. Two girls aged, 13 and 14, have been arrested on suspicion of arson and remain in custody for questioning. Enquiries are ongoing."
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service have been approached for comment.
