A fire tore through a popular farmer's market in Lancaster County early Saturday, damaging numerous buildings and shops.
Ephrata Fire Chief Allen Pettyjohn tells the Reading Eagle that firefighters arrived at the Green Dragon Farmer's Market and Auction near Ephrata around 5 a.m. Saturday.
They found much of the central section of the 30-acre complex completely destroyed. Firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to additional sections of the 82-year-old market in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country.
The market's website says thousands of visitors come on weekends for goods offered by 400 growers, merchants and craftsmen. Rob Rohrbach, the market's owner, tells the newspaper he isn't sure how long it will be closed.
One vendor, Barbara Tarris, sobbed by her charred stall and inventory, saying she lost her livelihood.
