A fire at a Dallas shopping center Friday morning killed more than 500 animals, most of them small birds, authorities said.
579 animals at the Plaza Latina pet store in northwest Dallas died from smoke inhalation, Dallas Fire Rescue spokesman Jason Evans said in a statement.
The flames from the fire never reached the animals. A chicken, hamster, two dogs and two cats also died, Evans said.
The two-alarm fire took about two hours and 45 firefighters were called in to extinguish it around 11 a.m., Evans said.
“DFR personnel attempted to search and rescue the animal, but unfortunately all animals in the store died from smoke inhalation,” Evans said.
There were no injuries caused by the fire. Evans said the structure of the large, one-story shopping center suffered severe damage, including a partial roof collapse.
The shopping center is home to several small businesses and is described on its Facebook page as “a place where people can eat and purchase all kinds of Latin goods and services.” A post on the Spanish-language page asked for prayers for the families working there.
The cause of the fire was not immediately determined and is currently under investigation, Evans said.
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