translated from Spanish: La Merced fire-affected hitmen return to work

Just a week after a new fire burned through the La Merced market in central Mexico City on December 24, the more than 2,000 affected locals begin to return to their jobs after cleaning and debris work themselves. 
This was noted on Friday by several of the merchants during a dialogue with the media in a café in the Narvarte colony, in the Mexican capital, where a collection was made to support those affected by this new accident in one of the largest and most emblematic markets of the city, after in February 2013 it was hit by another large fire. 
Mireya Ochoa González, owner of a mexican antojitos and stew tacos, explained in an interview with Political Animal that in the fire nearly seven years ago, capital government authorities closed affected areas for rehabilitation, resulting in many traders being displaced to sell their products on the street. 
Therefore, Mireya said that after the accident of December 24th the merchants made the decision not to let Civil Protection cordon off the damaged area, which goes from gate 9 to 17 in a space that covers about 500 square meters, so they carried out the cleaning and recovery of the spaces that burned. 
“When it was the 2013 fire, many traders were pulled out with the promise that the authorities would relocate them within the Market. But they never returned and many positions were filled by other people,” the trader said. 
“That’s why we didn’t want to take any chances now and made the decision to clean up our spaces,” added Mireya, who stressed that they have had the altruistic help of civil organizations like the Barrio Chido Collective, which made a collection center to provide them with paint, water and food, since Christmas Day and December 26 spent the night inside the Market, to prevent it from being cordoned off. 
In addition, the trader explained that, following the 2013 fire, it took the authorities seven years to rehabilitate the affected area, severely damaging the economy of many families financially dependent on the market. 
“Another reason why we didn’t let them cordon off the area is that we know that would involve waiting another six or seven years to return. But in the meantime, what do our families eat? That’s why we prefer to take the risks and clean up all of us, to get back to work as soon as possible.”
“The market was saved thanks to the locals”
Anahí Quintana García, a 20-year-old who attends a fruit and legume stand and was practically born in the market of La Merced, narrated in interview with this medium that at around 21.15 hours on December 24, shortly before the dinner of Christmas Eve, he received a call from a colleague alerting him about a powerful fire that apparently originated from a short circuit in the area of vegetables and clothing of the largest ship. 
Immediately, the word spread between phone calls, audio notes, and Whatsapp messages: the market was on fire.
“I left everything and ran to the market, but when I got to my post the light was already consuming everything.” 
Anawea took a bucket and joined the chain that traders made to try to quell the flames, after the first fire truck that arrived in the area did so with the empty water tank. 
“I began to cry desperately. As hard as I tried the flames and the smoke were still very strong,” said the merchant, who came very close to suffering a major mischief when receiving an electric shock.
Finally, after the arrival of more firefighters, Civil Protection personnel, Capital police officers, and more locals, who in turn brought in family and friends to support fire-extinguishing efforts, the fire was quelled at 1 a.m. on Christmas Day, leaving as a balance two traders deceased when electrocuted with power cords that fell over the corridors, eight people injured by smoke poisoning, and more than 600 premises reduced to ashes. 
“The market was saved by locals,” Anahí Quintana noted, explaining that the rapid response of traders was key to the containment of the fire.
Now, although she has returned to her small fruit and vegetable shop after several days of pulling out debris, painting, and sweeping the remains of the fire, the trader lamented that the thousands of affected locals are facing another consequence of the accident: the lack of customers. 
“We are posting on our social networks that the Market is already working again, although it is damaged and there are still colleagues who are cleaning and unpacking. We need people to go back to buy ing La Merced. That’s the best way to help the people who were affected by the fire,” Anahí said. 
The locals also explained during yesterday’s meeting with the media that they have already started the paperwork to receive support from the Capital government, which heads Claudia Sheinbaum, as unemployment insurance, although they regretted that aid is very scarce. 
“They’re just going to give us 2 thousand, 500 pesos a month. So, honestly, that’s not a big help. In any case it would help us more if we were given in a single exhibition the 15 thousand pesos will give us in total. But with 2 thousand 500 pesos per month… the truth is, there’s not much we can do,” said the salothing Mireya Ochoa. 
For next week, the capital government is expected to give a detailed report on the balance left by the fire on December 24 in the La Merced market. 
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Original source in Spanish