ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Part of St. Augustine’s Atlantic Beach & Tennis Club was destroyed in a fire early Tuesday morning.
The club’s owner, who lives right behind the club, said he learned of the fire when he woke up at 1:45 a.m. and saw flames shooting through the roof of his business.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Bill Brothers said. “I was in shock.”
He said he yelled for his wife to call 911, but when they got a dispatcher, they learned firefighters were already battling the blaze on Ocean Trace Road off A1A South.
“It makes you sick to put 32 years into something and have it destroyed in just a few hours,” Brothers said, adding that they were about to celebrate 32 years in business next month. “I came over to watch it burn down -- something that you’ve worked on and that you love. ... But you can’t give up.”
Brothers said he was in the hospital just two days ago after having a stroke. He said he is thankful to be recovering well, and is appreciative no one was hurt in the fire.
“I’ll be fine. We’re a tough group. We’re going to rebuild,” Brothers said. “Nobody was hurt. That’s the main thing.”
Brothers said it’s not the first setback his club has faced in three decades of business. He said it’s important for the community and provides services such as physical therapy and water aerobics.
“I had a tornado go through the property one time,” he said. “You just rebuild, keep fighting the battle.”
Brothers said the club includes tennis courts, swimming pools, two gyms, two locker rooms, a sauna, a steam room, showers, a hot tub and a physical therapy room.
“I’m thinking of the wonderful people that come here every day for their health using the swimming pools. We had the only indoor heated swimming pool in the whole area,” Brothers said.
Brothers said it looks like the tennis courts weren’t damaged and he plans to keep the tennis program going as they rebuild.
“We have a salon. We still have lots of plants and things to take care of, so we’ll do that,” Brothers said. “We have a walkway to the beach also, so we’ll keep that going.”
Brothers said he did have insurance for the business.
The State Fire Marshal will investigate what started the fire. Brothers said he believed it was from a lightning strike. News4JAX exact track radar shows a thunderstorm in the area around 11pm Monday, with a strike near the complex.
Florida is the lightning capital of the United States.
According to the Insurance Information Institute:
In 2021, there were 5,339 lightning damage claims in Florida.
The total value of claims in 2021 amounted to $88.3 million.
Florida also averages 7 lightning strike deaths each year.
“You could say, ‘I’m not going to fight anymore,’ but you keep going,” Brothers said. “I’m an old man now, so a lot of people would have given up, but I still have that fight in me.”
As far as member dues, Brothers said he’s still trying to figure out what’s best for the future of the complex.