Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed the cause of the Blackstock Market fire that destroyed the building's rooftop. The blaze, which sent clouds of black smoke into the sky in the early hours of Monday, August 3, was caused by an "accidental ignition due to unsafe disposal of smoking materials."
Fire crews respond to Vauxhall blaze
Firefighters were called to Blackstock Street in Vauxhall at 2.57am and arrived five minutes later with four fire engines and one aerial appliance. They found a fire on the roof terrace of Blackstock Market. All persons were accounted for, and the fire was extinguished at 4.14am.
Two teams of two firefighters wearing breathing masks entered an adjacent building and tackled the blaze on a second-floor office space with a hose. All crews were withdrawn from the roof due to concerns about structural damage. When the ECHO arrived at Blackstock Street at 7.25am, a fire alarm was ringing and dozens of workers from different businesses were outside.
Venue statement and investigation findings
A Blackstock Market spokesperson issued a statement the next day confirming there were no injuries and that the roof gardens will remain closed for the rest of 2026 while repairs are carried out, leaving the team "devastated." The managing director of Hot Water Comedy Club and Blackstock Market, Paul Blair, thanked everyone for their support, saying he was "incredibly proud" of the venue's impact.
After reviewing CCTV from Saturday evening, the Blackstock Market team discovered that multiple lit, partially smoked cigarettes had been dropped into several plant pots, despite clearly displayed "strictly no smoking" signs. A spokesperson said: "Around an hour after the cigarette was dropped into the plant pot where the fire originated, minimal smoke became intermittently visible on CCTV. It was not enough to have been reasonably seen or smelt by customers or staff."
The pot continued to smoke and smoulder intermittently for approximately 30 hours before igniting early on Monday morning while the venue was closed. The fire caused extensive damage to the Roof Garden and the theatre below, including its ventilation system and a large amount of equipment.
Rebuilding costs and public appeal
The venue now faces between £300K to £400K in rebuilding costs. A Go Fund Me page has been set up to raise £50K. The spokesperson added: "Please smoke only in designated areas, use a proper ashtray and ensure cigarettes are fully extinguished. One careless moment can have devastating consequences."
The rest of Blackstock Market and Hot Water Comedy Club remains open, with shows continuing as normal in unaffected theatres.
