Over 500 animals Killed in Dallas Shopping Center, Cause Under Investigation
A fire at a shopping center in Dallas on Friday morning claimed the lives of more than 500 animals, most of which were small birds, authorities said.
Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans reported that 579 animals in the pet shop at Plaza Latina in Northwest Dallas died from smoke inhalation. “While DFR personnel did search and attempt rescue, all animals in the shop unfortunately perished due to smoke inhalation,” Evans said.
The flames never directly reached the animals, but chickens, hamsters, two dogs, and two cats were also among those that died.
The two-alarm fire, which broke out in the morning, took around two hours to extinguish and required the efforts of as many as 45 firefighters. It was fully brought under control by 11 a.m., according to Evans.
Fortunately, no people were injured in the incident. However, the structure of the large, one-story shopping center sustained significant damage, including a partially collapsed roof.
The shopping center, Plaza Latina, houses multiple small businesses and is described on its Facebook page as “a place where people can go to eat and buy all sorts of Latin goods and services.” Following the fire, a post in Spanish on the center’s page requested prayers for the families who work there.
The cause of the fire is not yet known and remains under investigation, Evans added.