Just hours after people lined up to grab Christmas treats at a Delaware bakery, the beloved bakery went up in flames Christmas Eve.
The blaze broke out at Serpe and Sons Bakery on Kirkwood Highway in Elsmere just minutes after closing time around 6 p.m. Thursday and quickly spread, said the state fire marshal.
Firefighters arrived to find flames shooting through the roof. As SkyForce10 hovered overhead a short time later, firefighters from six different companies could be seen going in and out of the building as thick smoke poured from the large building.
Two firefighters required evaluation at an area hospital, said New Castle county dispatchers.
The blaze broke out just hours after people packed Serpe's to pick up cakes, cookies, Italian bread and rolls for Christmas meals.
Photos posted to the bakery’s Facebook page Thursday morning showed lines out the door: [[363500061, C]]
The Serpe family even turned to Instagram to thank customers as the fire was burning. [[363500171, C]]
U.S. & World
No word yet on the extent of damage nor a cause of the fire that left Christmas ruined for at least one family: [[363503861,C]]
Customers were left devastated.
"I'm actually heartbroken right now, to have it happen on Christmas Eve is horrible," said customer Dana Campbell.
The bakery was set to be closed for Christmas anyway but owners Dominic and Nicholas Serpe told NBC10 it will be closed longer than that.
The Serpes said they were thankful everyone made it out OK and they vowed to work hard to assess damage and begin restoration.
