Home Top Stories 579 animals killed after fire destroys Northwest Dallas mall

579 animals killed after fire destroys Northwest Dallas mall

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579 animals killed after fire destroys Northwest Dallas mall

DALLAS – Hundreds of animals died Friday morning after a fire ravaged a mall in Northwest Dallas.

The Dallas Fire Department announced that 579 animals died as a result of the fire at Plaza Latina Bazaar on Harry Hines Boulevard – most of them from smoke inhalation.

The deceased animals were housed in an exotic pet shop.

“Most were small birds, but there were also chickens, hamsters, two dogs and two cats,” said Robert Borse, a spokesman for Dallas Fire-Rescue. “No exotic animals were found at the location at the time of the recovery.”

A firefighter treats a rescued dog after a fire at Plaza Latina in Dallas, Texas. January 3, 2024. / Credit: CBS News Texas

A few others were rescued and revived, thanks to the efforts of Dallas Fire-Rescue crews.

“Although the fire did not reach the pet store, a lot of smoke did come in,” Borse said. “While DFR personnel conducted search and rescue efforts, all (remaining) animals in the store unfortunately died from smoke inhalation.”

Dallas firefighters, accustomed to extinguishing flames, performed CPR on a turtle and revived a near-dead puppy.

CBS New Texas photojournalist Alexis Ramirez has created an exclusive video showing firefighters in action, including a firefighter intently working on a puppy and bringing it back to life.

“I’m an animal lover, so I tried to think about them,” said Jasmine Sanchez, whose mother owns a clothing store in Plaza Latina. Sanchez called 911, knowing the animals were inside.

“God uses people, and I just thought about them, that’s it. I’m happy for them, but I’m really sad for a lot of them who died inside, and it’s sad,” Sánchez said.

The crew also rescued miniature pigs, guinea pigs and rabbits.

The two-alarm fire, which started around 9 a.m., had nearly 50 firefighters battling the blaze. The roof partially collapsed. The building housed several small businesses, many of which have been in the complex for 25 years. Owners hope to enter the building on Saturday to assess the damage.

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