A fire at a shopping center in Dallas on Friday morning resulted in the deaths of over 500 animals, primarily small birds, according to authorities.
Jason Evans, a spokesperson for Dallas Fire-Rescue, stated that the 579 animals at the pet shop in Plaza Latina, Northwest Dallas, succumbed to smoke inhalation. “While DFR personnel did search and attempt rescue, all animals in the shop unfortunately perished due to smoke inhalation,” Evans confirmed.
The flames never reached the animals, but chickens, hamsters, two dogs, and two cats were also among the casualties, Evans added.
The two-alarm blaze required around 45 firefighters and took approximately two hours to extinguish by 11 a.m., Evans said.
No human injuries were reported, though the one-story shopping center sustained significant structural damage, including a partially collapsed roof.
The Plaza Latina shopping center houses various 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.” A post on the page, written in Spanish, requested prayers for the families working there.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined and is under investigation, Evans noted.
