HONOLULU -- Parents are scrambling to find child care after fire destroyed the preschool at Central Union Church Wednesday.

School administrators held an emergency meeting to decide what to do.

Firefighters and inspectors went to Central Union Church Preschool and Kindergarten to look at the three classrooms and some other rooms. Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set. (Read more about the arson case.)

Wednesday's early-morning blaze shot flames as high as a large nearby palm tree.

"It's pretty devastating. When we saw the trikes and the picture in the paper, you know, you are shocked and incredibly sad," Central Union Church Preschool and Kindergarten Director Marie Hook said.

The fire reignited in Classroom 4 later in the morning. It started from the attic and spread.

There was a bright spot. There were several Halloween pumpkins left untouched by the flames, and the classroom's aquarium fish actually survived.

To help parents facing a child care crisis, the Balding family opened its large Wailupe home as a makeshift preschool.

"It was pure emotion. I heard what happened on the news and phones, and I knew we had to do something. The kids have to go somewhere," parent Corin Gentry-Balding said.

Central Union has 180 students. Hook said administrators are still deciding when to reopen the school.

The displaced students will likely go to other buildings on the Central Union property, she said.

The school was just starting to raise money for a $10 million rebuilding project. Those plans need to be moved up, Hook said.