Daytona Beach, FL – A state investigator says the fire at a former YMCA facility in Daytona Beach this past weekend was set intentionally.
The Daytona Beach Fire Department says units were called out around 3:40 PM Sunday to the building on 825 Derbyshire Road, set to become a new mosque run by the Islamic Center of Daytona Beach.
DBFD spokeswoman Sasha Staton says no one was found on the 32,000 square-foot property at the time of the fire and that the official report from the State Fire Marshal’s Office has yet to come in.
Staton added that fire damage was “pretty extensive” in a small room next to the gymnasium, with smoke spreading out to other parts of the building from there.
The report noted that there was about $5,000 in damage and that firefighters had to use a bolt cutter to remove the chain that was on the front door of the building.
It also showed that whoever set the fire used books to do it and that there was no running electric, gas or water in the building. The report didn’t specify what kind of books.
Investigators aren’t sure who set the fire at this time but they are looking into reports that the fire may have been set by some kids who broke into the building or a homeless person who broke in to find a warm place to sleep, per Staton.
Photos in this article are courtesy of DBFD.
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