The famous Bryant Park Holiday Market, which grew in popularity from food reviews on TikTok, had two separate fires while it was running. Open from the end of November to Jan. 5, around four million people visited the market for the holidays. Over 170 small kiosks in the market sold food, clothing, jewelry, and gifts from around the world. This was the perfect opportunity for these small businesses to make a name for themselves and to have their sales go through the roof.
The first fire was reportedly caused by combustible cooking oil that came in contact with fire. No one was injured in the fire, but with the black plumes of smoke rising into the air the park was closed until firefighters could clear the remains.
Four entire kiosks were burnt during the fire, and the FDNY quickly responded, putting the fire out in under 30 minutes. The booth that caught fire sold lobster rolls and seafood fries.
About a week and a half later, the second fire occurred at Herald Square’s festive shopping corridor on Broadway, between West 35th and West 26th Streets.
After catching fire at 4 a.m. from an electrical issue, 18 shops were affected by the fire. One booth was full of handcrafted ornaments which were reduced to debris. Afterwards, online fundraisers were set up to support the vendors.
Monica Razak, a first-time vendor at the Bryant Park Winter Village was driving to work when she saw the fire at Herald Square.
“I guess things like this happen, that’s why we all have insurance as vendors but also it’s just something that you never think will actually happen,” she said in her Youtube video.
With no one injured, the market has moved on, and the success of the park has continued.
Urbanspace, the company that owns the Herald Square area that caught on fire, released a statement after the destruction.
“This is a devastating moment for our market family, especially during what should be a joyful holiday season. We are actively working with local officials to determine the cause of the fire and ensure the site is secure and safe for the rest of the vendors,” Urbanspace Markets said.
