An early morning blaze Monday gutted the South Hall of Capitol Hill's Eastern Market, the historic structure that served as the community's unofficial town center.

The market, located off Seventh and C streets in Southeast, was empty and no one was injured in the three-alarm blaze that started around 1 a.m. It took more than 125 firefighters over two hours to extinguish the fire, in part because a collapsing roof prevented them from working inside the building, said District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Services spokesman Tony Dorsey.

Initial reports indicated that the fire could have started in an adjacent trash bin, but officials now say they do not know what caused the blaze. Arson has been ruled out, Dorsey said.

Dorsey said that damages to the structure are estimated at $5 million to $10 million and it's not yet known how much damages to the businesses will run.

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Scorch marks from where the fire licked through shattered windows were evident on the market's brick exterior and smoke still peeled out from under the roof as hundreds of bystanders gathered behind yellow police tape Monday to mourn what many called an old friend.

"It really is the heart of the Hill," said Richard Glasgow, a co-owner of the market's Southern Maryland Seafood. Glasgow's brother, Tom, operates its popular Market Lunch counter, which has long been known for its crab cakes. Glasgow's father opened the family's business in the market in 1939. He fought back attempts by the U.S. Congress in the 1960s to close the market, family members said.

The blaze occurred less than a week before a popular annual festival celebrating the market's history. Designed by famed local architect Adolf Cluss and opened in 1873, Eastern Market is the District's only continuous public market operating out of its original location. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Capitol Hill Restoration Society President Dick Wolf said his organization will commit $10,000 toward a fund to rebuild. Though the market draws thousands on weekends, many businesses that had struggled during the week to draw a crowd had begun to pick up, Wolf said.

"The fire is a setback, obviously," Wolf said.

Council Member Tommy Wells, D-Ward 6, and Mayor Adrian Fenty toured the damage Monday. Wells said he will work to find alternate locations for business owners affected by Monday's fire.

"We'll look at all options right away," Wells said.

cmabeus@dcexaminer.com