FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — This story was originally reported by WESH.
Fire ripped through a historic Central Florida theater overnight.
Crews were called to the Flagler Playhouse around 10 p.m. on Sunday and discovered heavy smoke pouring from the eaves of the room and a blaze at the back of the building.
Fire quickly spread throughout the attic space.
Firefighters from Flagler County Fire Rescue, Palm Coast Fire Department, Flagler Beach Fire Department and Ormond Beach Fire Department Station 92 all battled the fire.
Flagler County Fire Marshal Jerry Smith says they worried the building could collapse on fire crews if they stayed inside, so they had to fight it from the outside.
"It’s all wood construction inside, very hot fire, very dangerous for the guys, especially when it’s been added on to with different construction types. It just made it a big maze inside for us," he said.
The last people in the building left about six hours before the fire started and no one was hurt.
“What’s it look like in there? A warzone inside there,” Smith said of the playhouse.
“All the trusses are burned through and collapsed on top of all the seating. The debris, the insulation, the wires. It’s just a mess of stuff,” Smith said.
The Flagler Playhouse was constructed in 1957 and was once home to the First Baptist Bunnell.
“It’s an icon for this area,” said Preston Zepp of the Flagler County Historic Society, which is right across from the playhouse. He said the playhouse, and the church before it, have always had a central part in Bunnell’s history.
“It’s horrible. We’re creating a historic district around here. This would be one of the focal points. Hopefully, they can restore it, but it’s pretty bad," Zepp said.
A new show, "The Play That Goes Wrong," was set to open this week.