This followingnoon, the fire was rekindled in the Plaza Central gallery, in Mesa Redonda, which had already been controlled in the morning by firefighters. This incident began on the night of recent Thursday, December 30.
In dialogue with La República, the deputy commander of the firefighters, Carlos Gallardo, pointed out that this rebound in fire occurred because there are still “sources of material that have been clogged” in an internal part of the warehouse that is inaccessible.
As he said, an air action is being coordinated, so that the emergency is fully managed.
YOU CAN SEE: Prosecutor opens preliminary investigation for fire in Roundtable
In the morning, the mayor of Lima, Jorge Muñoz, pointed out that the fire occurred only in one building, however, he explained that around 300 businesses located in this building were affected.
YOU CAN SEE: Fire at Mesa Redonda: building had a demolition order, revealed the Municipality of Lima
“We have a work plan with all the street vendors. There is a greater ambulatory growth. We have to redouble our efforts and look for alternatives with the people who are on the streets, so that business can be generated. We have opened 1,500 spaces in other galleries, but many of them prefer to stay on the streets. We are going to achieve greater formality and greater safety in the streets, ”Muñoz said at a press conference.
“In that institution no one runs to the responsibilities. We have asked our inspection department to redouble their efforts and make a mapping so that a fault or omission does not happen once more to generate more security, “he added.
YOU CAN SEE: Fire at the Round Table: Jorge Muñoz’s security grabs a reporter and does not allow him to do his job
Supervision manager removed from office due to fire at Round Table
The Municipality of Lima reported this Friday that it removed from office the Supervision Manager, Zuleyka Prado, following the fire in Mesa Redonda that occurred on the night of recent Thursday, December 30.
“Trust has been lost in the supervision manager of the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima (…). Another point, the deputy manager of sanctions inspection will be sanctioned, who we have also asked to do a sweep of all activities that may have a similar situation in terms of the conclusion of a case, “said the mayor.
A member of the Audit Office of the Municipality of Lima told RPP that the fire started when a paper balloon deviated and fell on the roof of the gallery. The fire spread rapidly, consuming the prefabricated material environments, the same ones that functioned as a plastic warehouse, according to the fire brigade commander, Mario Casaretto.
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Fire at Plaza Central Gallery in Lima: A Repeat Blaze and Unresolved Conundrum
On December 30th, a devastating fire engulfed the Plaza Central gallery in Mesa Redonda, Lima. Despite efforts to subdue the flames in the early hours of December 31, the fire was rekindled later that day. As this situation unfolds, various parties involved must grapple with the aftermath of the blaze, its economic implications, and the resilience of informal business.
Smoke and Mirrors: Unaddressed Structural Issues?
According to Carlos Gallardo, the deputy commander of the firefighters, the uncurbed flames were due to inaccessible areas in the warehouse, which still contain “sources of material that have been clogged.” This concerning detail highlights systemic issues with the gallery’s physical infrastructure. Moreover, local authorities were alerted to the fact that the building had a prior demolition order, an alarming oversight that risks the lives and livelihoods of vendors and customers alike. Measures to investigate these inconsistencies must be more transparent and held accountable to provide swift reassurance to affected parties.
On the Brink of Disquiet: Displacing Informal Entrepreneurs
Mayor Jorge Muñoz pointed out that an estimated 300 businesses in the Plaza Central gallery suffered the brunt of the fire. In urban areas where migrants and informal traders congregate to start small-scale businesses, fires can demonstrate the true precariousness of social and economic conditions these hardworking entrepreneurs often find themselves in. Instead of dismissing the issue as an unfortunate economic blip, policymakers must reconsider how to safeguard vital income earners like informal vendors and formulate adequate social programs catering to displaced business owners.
Revisiting Lima’s Informal Street Vending Policies
Mayor Muñoz announced the mayor’s office intentions to double effort to manage unofficial street trading, potentially through viable placement arrangements within state-regulated marketplaces. With reports of 1,500 open spaces in galleries, it’s baffling that remaining informal merchants prefer roadside market stalls, running an exposed gamut of risks: inadequate basic amenities and poor public safety infrastructure. Any implemented plans should recognize that traders face multidisciplinary challenges at its grassroots base and implement adaptive alternatives equipping local people, traders and decision-makers with forward-thinking ideas towards a necessary balance of the bustling city scene and modest grassroots traders’ self-empowerment.
