PRINCEVILLE, N.C. -
Firefighters say a daycare in Edgecombe County is a total loss after a morning fire.
Princeville Fire Chief Billy Boddie tells 9 On Your Side the daycare is attached to a mobile home at 620 King Avenue.
The fire started in the "Angels of Faith" childcare center area of the home around 7:20 Friday morning. The owner and two kids were inside at the time and made it out safely.
The daycare regularly takes care of 10 children; five in the morning, five in afternoon. It's been in operation for three years.
The owner, Vera Staton, tells 9 On Your Side she has a license and is inspected regularly.
She says she went to cut her window heating unit in the daycare on around 5:45 this morning. She says she went to lay back down and was later awakened by the smoke detector going off.
Staton says she rushed into the daycare to find the room on fire. She quickly got her husband, two grandchildren and herself out of the home.
She says she doesn't know how the fire started, but the home and daycare are a total loss and she'll rebuild.
The fire department is estimating the damage at about $35,000. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Several departments responded to the blaze.
Even though Staton is a
licensed child care provider and passed all her inspections, we wanted to know
what guidelines are in place to monitor daycares like Statons.
The State Department of Social
Services regulates child care centers and released their child care handbook to
9 On Your Side.
We found the key issues
you should check for when using child care services.
First, make sure they
can provide documentation showing they've passed building, fire and sanitation
inspections.
Second, child care
centers must also conduct their own monthly outdoor safety inspections and fire
drills.
Third, make sure your
provider is clearly displaying their license and it has not expired. Child care providers must renew their license
annually or face harsh penalties.
You can find more child
care information in the handbook. The
link is attached to this article.
