Fire breaks out near Sampson County daycare; cause unknown

A building next to a Sampson County daycare burst into flames on Wednesday.

According to authorities, the building on the 100 block of West North Street in Roseboro was a vacant commercial structure once used for dry-cleaning.

Authorities said people were seen entering and exiting the building before the fire broke out.

Rolanda Parker, an employee at the daycare next door, said Casons Community Day Care was closing for the day and had a few children left when the fire started.

“It was already hot [and] you could feel it, literally, on your face where I was standing on my daycare’s back porch,” Parker said. “It was honestly scary.”

Parker said her first instinct was to evacuate the children from the daycare. In this case, that wasn't necessary.

“I treat them like they’re my own, and I was going to do everything in my power to keep them safe,” she said.

The cause of the fire is unknown.