POQUOSON, Va. — Several families were affected following the loss of a day care facility in Poquoson after a fire destroyed it Saturday night.
According to a spokesperson for Poquoson Fire and Rescue, they received a call just before 10 p.m. about a commercial structure fire in the 400 block of Wythe Creek Rd. at a building which housed Imagination Land Day Care. When they arrived on scene, the building was already "fully-involved" with fire.
The fire left behind only fragments of the Imagination land child daycare. All that remained were burned pieces of the building, diapers, and a couple of chairs.
Some Poquoson residents went there to see what happened.
“This is a very family-oriented community," said Poquoson resident Barry Teague.
The daycare owners explained the building has been used as a daycare facility for more than 40 years. After the fire, families are hoping it will stay in business.
“This is going to inconvenience a lot of people, that’s unfortunate. I don’t know if they plan on getting back or not but if they do, I hope so. They can get things going again quickly," said Teague.
It took crews about 25 minutes to get the fire under control. They were assisted by firefighters from York County.
According to the spokesperson, no one was in the building at the time of the fire and there were no injuries. They haven't yet been able to determine a cause due to the extensive damage to the building.
"We are devastated, heartbroken, and in absolute shock," someone from Imagination Land posted on their Facebook page. "We know that hardships will follow this event. Many have lost their livelihoods, parents; a safe haven for their babies, and children; a warm place to call home away from home."
Support for the daycare was expressed in comments from their patrons and supporters. "This is such sad news. Our kids absolutely love all their teachers and this daycare. When things get figure out and Imagination Land reopens, we will be back," wrote one commenter. Another wrote: "The girls are very sad and worried about everyone. We will keep our Imagination Land family in our prayers."
The facility's post went on to say: "We, at Imagination Land are unsure of the next steps to take but with the Grace of God we will prevail."