VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — It took DeLand firefighters five hours to put out a massive fire at a vacant building early Thursday.
The old Delco Oil Company has been unused for years.
Ernestine Neloms has lived on South Clara Avenue in DeLand for most of her life. She saw Delco Oil move in across the street years ago. She saw it burn to rubble early Thursday morning.
"My son came to the door and said, 'Mama.' I said, 'What?' He said, 'Delco is burning up,'" said Neloms. "I got my phone and called 911."
Firefighters think the fire was burning long before the first calls came in around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.
"From the size of it, it must've had some pretty significant ignition source," said Ronnie Snowberger with the DeLand Fire Department.
Investigators have not said what might have started the fire.
The property owners will be responsible for tearing down what's left of the building, according to city officials.
During a hearing that's set for later this month a special magistrate is scheduled to give them a deadline to clean up the mess.
A city representative said the roof is on the verge of collapsing and that it's unsafe. While in some situations the city will demolish buildings, officials said they don't have the money to pay for that.
City officials said the property owners will have to secure the area around the building.