Toys, more lost after sprinkler system floods Niceville Children's Advocacy Center after fire

NICEVILLE — A musty smell crept through the building Monday as the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center team regrouped to address the extensive water damage left from a fire over the weekend.

Julie Porterfield, chief executive officer of the ECCAC, was in Orlando for a conference when she got a call about 9 a.m. Saturday from a staff member who had found the building in Niceville flooded with water.

Initial report: Niceville Children's Advocacy Center damaged by fire

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While over 300 miles away, Porterfield urged her staff to call 911 and ECCAC Chief Operating Officer Solange Arnett rushed to the building. Porterfield then immediately began driving back to Niceville, unsure of what to expect when she arrived.

“It was completely chaotic. I got here probably about 10 minutes after the girl called me,” Arnett said. “That was probably the only moment I felt sick to my stomach, because I could just see water pouring out of the ceiling and there literally was ankle-deep water throughout the entire building.”

Niceville Firefighter and EMT Justin Mikulcik was among the first crews to arrive. They quickly worked to turn the water off, but by then Mikulcik said the sprinkler system had already been running for close to 24 hours.

“We turned off the water to the building so it wouldn’t produce any more water damage, but it was leaking from the second floor all the way down to the first floor; just constant water,” he said. “We think (the fire) happened on Friday and the sprinklers were running for a good 24 hours.”

Mikulcik said the fire likely was ignited by an exhaust fan in an upstairs bathroom. The automatic sprinkler system was activated and extinguished the small blaze, but one of the sprinklers busted and kept running through the night.

“At first I did not know the gravity of the situation, other than there was water in the building. I knew right away I had to get back," Porterfield said. "As the day unfolded, my heart really sank. To actually walk through that door, it just broke my heart.”

Services for children, families to continue

The ECCAC was established in July 1997 following a high-profile case in which the owner of a day care victimized several young girls. People from agencies involved in the case hoped to better address child abuse in Okaloosa and Walton counties with its creation.

Construction on the 13,000-square-foot facility began the following year, and the ECCAC officially opened it’s doors in October 2000. Today, the ECCAC continues to provide legal, mental health, medical and social services for victims of abuse or neglect.

After the fire, Arnett said keeping those services intact has become the most important task.

“We want to keep business as usual, keep seeing these kids. And we’re going to be able to do that, thankfully,” she said. “We’re not going to have to stop what we do for the kiddos in this community, and that’s the most important thing, I think, to all of us.”

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Among an outpouring of calls, texts and emails from people looking to help, Porterfield said several organizations offered to provide space for the ECCAC to continue its services.

The city of Niceville and Crosspoint Church both provided spaces where the ECCAC can continue to conduct activities such as play therapy. Medical examinations and interviews will be conducted at the ECCAC’s facility in DeFuniak Springs.

“We’re going to use spaces that people are providing to make sure the children’s lives aren’t disrupted,” Porterfield said. “There will be some costs involved, and we’re going to make sure the families have the resources gas-wise to get to that location.”

Salvaging items from the damage

While services are continuing, much work will need to be done at the Niceville facility. The building held close to 22 years of memories. Many took form in children’s paintings on the walls and life-sized stuffed animals piled on the floors.

Much of the building will need to be gutted and the stuffed animals thrown out, but not all was lost. Several electronics and organizational files were spared by Niceville and Valparaiso firefighters, who spent hours working to limit the damage.

Arnett said firefighters also saved some items that held sentimental value to her and other staff members. One firefighter salvaged four photos he found floating in the water in her office.

“In my office, I have lots of angels that my son had made me over the years,” Porterfield said. “The firemen had tucked them away so the water wouldn’t get to them.”

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The ceiling caved in above Arnett’s office on the second floor, and she could see clear up into the attic. Signs of pooling water were also visible on the ceiling of the first floor where cracks had developed, but the ceiling was still holding.

“Both Val-p and Niceville were amazing. They did more than they had to,” Arnett said. “They stayed here for probably two hours covering things up with tarps. They went above and beyond, going in and getting personal items as much as they could.”

Numerous saltwater fish, including many children's favorite "Nemo fish," were also rescued after their tank began overflowing with fresh water. Arnett said the fishes' caretaker came to get them shortly after the 911 call.

“He was really calm and cool, actually. He had two big container buckets and he suctioned all the fish out,” Arnett said. “They were dangerously close to the top because water was pouring into the fish tank. It was all coming through the ceiling.”

What's next for the ECCAC

Water damage throughout the building was extensive, but Arnett said “this is just a temporary setback.” The ECCAC already had plans to remodel and expand the facility, although Porterfield said the timeline was originally much farther out.

“We’re here. The building is standing. God just had a different timeline,” Porterfield said. "We’re thankful that no one was in the building and no one was injured."

Richard Szabo and Nico Tellez with SERVPRO of Fort Walton Beach began remov the carpet from the building Monday. But several months of work are still in store, and the reopening date could be as far out as Christmas.

While gathered in a multi-purpose room now turned "Crisis Command Center" on Monday, Porterfield said she and her staff have found “blessings” in the little things, namely the outpouring of support from the community.

“We are just incredibly grateful for their support,” she said. “They’ve been with us since day one, and 22 years later that support has grown and they’re standing right besides us through this crisis. We’re going to come out stronger, though.”

The ECCAC was still assessing needs Monday, but plans to share more ways to help in the near future. Anyone interested can reach out to Ana Michalzik, ECCAC volunteer and event coordinator, at 850-420-4639 for more information.

Monetary donations can be made at www.eccac.org.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Niceville Children's Advocacy Center flooded by sprinklers after fire