Fire breaks out near local daycare center

No one was injured when a fire broke out near a local daycare this week, but officials say the incident highlights the need for extreme caution with dangerously dry conditions persisting.

The fire was first spotted shortly after noon on Monday burning a fence separating the residence of Michael Shadle and Paula’s Daycare in the 300 block of South Carhart Street.

Daycare owner Paula Blackburn said Paige Drackley noticed the fire while she was driving by and came knocking on her door.

“I had brought the kids inside about 10:30, we ate lunch at 11, and were getting ready for nap time,” Blackburn said. “We never smelled anything. We evacuated in less than a minute, and I grabbed my emergency binder.”

The children were taken to the Church of Christ across the street and parents were then notified, Blackburn said.

First Assistant Chief Jeremy Powell of the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department termed Monday’s fire as “suspicious.” He said four trucks responded, and the department had the blaze out in about 15 minutes.

Officials said it appeared the fire started on Shadle’s side of the fence, but Fire Marshal Kelly Hill said the cause was still undetermined.

In addition to damaging the wooden fence, several toys on the daycare’s playground were damaged, and the fire also threatened Shadle’s garage at one point, Powell said.
“It is just super dangerous right now even in town because of dry grass, brush, etc.,” Powell said. “We could get a structure on fire real easy right now.”

Powell said recent fires are getting harder to put out because everything is so dry it is taking more water to put a fire out. He said the high temperatures are also placing stress on firemen when they wear their protective gear.

Powell said everyone needs to be very careful, even when barbecuing.

“You need to be right there with it and keep a water hose available,” Powell said.
In the case of Monday’s fire, quick action by good Samaritans helped save the day – particularly Audie Watson, who reportedly grabbed a garden hose and started putting water on the fire before firefighters arrived.

In less than an hour, the daycare center was determined to be safe, and the children returned from the church.