DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Firefighters battled a massive fire at a church early Thursday.
The fire started at the Calvary Baptist Church located on the corner of Peninsula Drive and Earl Street on the beachside in Daytona Beach, firefighters said.
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The Daytona Beach Fire Department, along with the Holly Hill Fire Department and Ormond Beach Fire Department were working to get control of the fire.
Firefighters said when they entered the church they were met with heavy flames and had to switch to a defensive attack mode and exit the building due to dangerous conditions.
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They said they “continued to battle the fully engulfed church from the exterior, working all sides and utilizing two aerial apparatuses to gain an overhead access to the flames.”
A contractor told firefighters that the church was scheduled to be demolished and the power to the building had already been disconnected for some time.
Officials said traffic in the area is being diverted and the streets that surround the building will remain closed as firefighters continue to work.
The building was at risk of collapsing in the streets, Daytona Beach police said.
Demolition crews were seen tearing down the building later in the day.