DALLAS: A fire at a Dallas mall early Friday killed more than 500 animals, mostly small birds, authorities said.
579 animals died from smoke inhalation at the Latin Plaza pet store in northwest Dallas. Dallas Fire Rescue spokesman Jason Evans said in a statement.
The flames of the fire never reached the animals. Chickens, a hamster, two dogs and two cats also died, Evans said.
Evans said it took up to 45 firefighters about two hours to extinguish the two fires around 11 a.m. local time.
“While DFR personnel conducted a search and attempted rescues, unfortunately, all of the animals in the store died from smoke inhalation,” Evans said.
No one was injured in the fire. Evans said the large, single-story shopping center suffered significant structural damage, including a partially collapsed roof.
The mall includes several small businesses and is described on its Facebook page as “a place where people can go to eat and purchase a variety of Latin goods and services.” There is a post in Spanish on the page asking for prayers for the families who work there.
The cause of the fire was not immediately determined and is under investigation, Evans said.
