An early morning fire Tuesday destroyed a DeKalb County daycare center that has been targeted by vandals and thieves in the past.
Tuesday’s blaze, which gutted the Daydreams Early Learning Center on Flakes Mill Road in south DeKalb, was the second fire at the center in 24 hours.
Early Monday, vandals started a small fire inside the building and stole some food, AM750 and 95.5FM News Talk WSB reported. About six months ago, the daycare’s air conditioning units and van were stolen.
Daycare owner Nikkia Burton said Monday’s blaze “was a small fire in the staff restroom and in the classroom.”
Tuesday’s fire was much larger.
“The building is gutted on the inside,” DeKalb fire Battalion Chief Christopher Morrison told Channel 2 Action News. “From the exterior, it doesn’t look that way because it is a brick structure, but on the inside, it’s 100 percent gone.”
No injuries were reported in either fire.
Fire officials have not yet officially determined what caused Tuesday’s blaze.
Ina Clahar operates another daycare center in south DeKalb, and she came by Daydreams Tuesday after hearing the news.
“I’m so sorry that this happened to her,” Clahar said. “This is horrible, this is horrible.”
“I read on AJC this morning about the fire and the other acts of vandalism, and my grandchildren come here,” said Debra Hunter, who worked at the daycare several years ago when it was under different owners.
Hunter said she had no idea who would vandalize or steal from the daycare owner, who she said regularly offers assistance for financially-strapped families.
“Many of the parents are on fixed income, and they do whatever they have to do to help the parents,” she said.
Reynaldo Green, who oversees a state-funded referral service to help parents find child care facilities, said he came by to help parents “find alternative child care programs since this one is unavailable to children now.
“We don’t see this happen very often, and it’s very tragic when it does happen,” Green said.
Parents needing assistance locating another daycare facility can contact Green’s service, Quality Care for Children, at 877-255-4254 (ALL-GA-KIDS).
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