GRAND ISLAND — A fire that destroyed a Grand Island daycare center over the weekend is upending the lives of about 100 families, now scrambling to figure out what to do with their children.
Monday, parents of children at KinderKiddz Early Childhood Center were suddenly facing work-from-home days.
“It's been a little hectic," said Alanna Zimmerman, who has two children, Jackson 3, and Lincoln, 2, who attend KinderKiddz, who spent the morning trying to find a new daycare center for her little ones.
"It's busy," said Matt Corraro who was watching after his son Luca, 4, who was busy playing with chalk and a bubble machine on the driveway.
It was especially tough for Jamie Stewart whose daughter Thea, 4, has autism and is non-verbal.
"Working from home when you're home by yourself is a lot different than working from home when your child's there, let alone a child with special needs who definitely needs to be monitored," she said.
The fire caused an estimated $2 million in damage to the daycare center, which provides care to about 100 children, from the ages of six weeks up to 12 years old.
According to the Grand Island Fire Company, several crews worked to put out the fire while another confirmed the building was empty.
The building is closed now and owner Shellina Patel said she doesn't know when it will reopen.
"You know how they say in novels, 'bottom of the world is falling apart,' I actually knew what that meant," said Patel.
She's working hard to try to find spots at other daycares for the children and her staff.
"I just want to apologize for all the inconvenience this has caused to parents, children, staff," she said before meeting with insurance representatives at the scene.
