WASHINGTON — The owner of a D.C. childcare center is turning toward the community to get back up and running following an explosion that damaged the building last week.
Regina Snead is the director and owner of the Baby Einstein Child Development Center on Marion Barry Avenue, Southeast. She helped 16 children — between the ages 2 months old and 4 years old — evacuate the business just minutes before an explosion rocked the block Thursday morning, leveling a convenience store next door.
Snead has owned the business for 10 years and is thankful there were no serious injuries in what is normally a busy neighborhood.
"It's surreal to think about the danger that could have happened," Snead told WUSA9.
Snead said she was inside with the children and staff when they smelled gas and immediately started getting out of the building. It's a decision first responders say saved lives. Snead said everyone got out about six minutes before the explosion.
"We believe the gas leak happened after a vehicle struck the gas meter," DC Fire Chief John Donnelly said.
Twenty-five minutes after the 911 call was placed, there was an explosion. A second explosion occurred at the convenience store, knocking the building down altogether.
New surveillance video shows what the blast looked like from inside the day care.
Four days after the explosion some businesses along Marion Barry Avenue Southeast are still without gas as the investigation continues.
During a Monday news conference Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters her administration is assisting the impacted businesses. "We are working with the business owners. We know for sure the convenience store and the childcare facility can't come back so our teams will see if we can help them get resituated," Bowser said.
The store that was destroyed was the Dan Akil Convenience Store. A Google search after the explosion listed the store as permanently closed.
Now, Snead is hoping the community will step up to help her staff and the families impacted by the loss of the day care.
"Right now we are looking for a new location ... we are looking for supplies, parents lost their items inside as well, so we're just looking for any support from the community that we can get," she said.
An online fundraiser has been set up to help with a goal of raising $250,000.
Currently, the day care serves 32 children with a five-person staff. All are anxious to learn what happens next.
"We are looking at sharing locations with other day care centers, so hopefully that will pan out," she said. "Our teachers need jobs, our parents need to keep their jobs, and our babies need to stay united with their friends."