A fire broke out Wednesday morning at a barn in Carrboro where a preschool facility has been operating this year.

Carrboro spokesperson Rachel Heggen sent an email confirming after questions from WCHL that a preschool facility was operating in the barn. “From what I understand we are just now finding out today that a daycare was being run inside this building,” Heggen wrote.

In a follow-up email, Heggen said that the barn is located in the town’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and that the investigation into the cause of the fire was now being jointly conducted by Carrboro and Orange County officials.

Carrboro officials issued a statement shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday saying that preschool officials had filed a request earlier this year for a permit to operate a preschool on Damascus Church Road.

“The Wildflower Learning Community Preschool and Kindergarten attended a joint review meeting in February, requesting a concept review to locate a preschool at 3100 Damascus Church Road. A Conditional Use Permit application was subsequently submitted and is currently under review. The property at 211 Old Fayetteville Road is located in the Town’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and is a bona fide farm, meaning that Orange County handles code enforcement. The Town of Carrboro is working closely with Orange County in an investigation of the fire.”

Online listings show that Wildflower Learning Community listed 211 Old Fayetteville Road as its address for the 2017/2018 school year.

No injuries were reported in the fire but officials said two small animals were found deceased. The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

Founder of the preschool Shelly Welch issued a statement to WCHL confirming the school was operating in the facility.

“We are processing the extraordinary loss of our school building and all of the children’s work, and our beloved goats, King Arthur and Toast,” Welch wrote. “Our hearts are broken.”

Welch added that the school is scheduled to close on a “new 16-acre Chapel Hill property in May.”

She said that officials are now working to find a temporary location until the end of the school year.

“I and my staff, along with the school’s families, have a collective resolute spirit and this is just a rock in the stream around which, as a community, we will flow.”

The property is owned by Marilyn Kille. A statement was issued on her behalf around 6:15 p.m. Wednesday:

“Shortly after 5:00 AM this morning, my neighbors spotted a fire at the barn on my property in Orange County and banged on my house door to wake me.  The neighbors had already called first responders, and fire fighters arrived but were unable to save the barn from destruction. The loss of the Peppermint Spring Farm’s barn and the animals deeply saddens me.  The barn was a special place dedicated to the memory of my late husband and has served our family and community well for more than 20 years.

I am grateful for the efforts of the fire fighters and state and local law enforcement officials to establish the cause of the fire. I look forward to cooperating fully with Orange County and state authorities as they investigate the fire and am confident that they will quickly determine its cause and, if appropriate, the identities of those responsible.”

This story will be updated with additional information as it is made available.

Photo via Town of Carrboro

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