DELTONA, Fla. – Firefighters are investigating whether a lightning strike ignited a fire at a church's preschool in Deltona.
The fire started at Trinity Assembly of God on Elkcam Boulevard about 7 p.m. Monday. By then, church members had gathered and helplessly looked on as flames shot above the building.
"My heart just cries," said Crystal Domenech, who teaches Sunday school. "I really want to cry right now."
It took firefighters about an hour to extinguish the blaze. The fire didn't spread to any other buildings, but the structure was deemed a total loss.
The building normally holds preschool in four classrooms. For many, it was a blessing that the fire started in the evening when no one was around.
"Thank goodness it was after hours." said Dennis Robinson, who helped build the building with his own hands. "Sadness to see what actually was an icon here in Deltona. It was one of the first churches to go up in the late 70s."
Children who normally would go to the church in the morning will be sent to a building next door.
One firefighter suffered minor injuries. He was treated at the scene.