Shopping
579 animals at exotic pet shop killed in fire at Dallas shopping center
Over a two-hour period, 40-45 firefighters worked to extinguish the fire at Plaza Latina Bazaar in Northwest Dallas.
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More than 500 pet shop animals were killed in a fire that erupted at a shopping center in Northwest Dallas on Friday morning, officials said. Three individuals who were inside the building during the fire escaped safely without injuries.
Dallas Animal Services removed 579 dead animals from an exotic pet shop inside Plaza Latina Bazaar, a shopping center in Northwest Dallas, following the extinguishing of a fire on Friday morning, Dallas Fire-Rescue Public Information Office Jason Evans confirmed. Most of the animals were small birds, but Dallas Animal Services also removed chickens, hamsters, two dogs and two cats, Evans added. The animals in the shop died from smoke inhalation.
Evans said Dallas Fire-Rescue is unaware of the pet shop’s name and Plaza Latina Bazaar did not immediately respond for comment about the fire when contacted by USA TODAY on Saturday.
The three people who were inside the building at the time of the fire escaped safely after being alerted by the building’s fire alarm and sprinkler system activation, Evans said.
In a Facebook post shared on Friday, Plaza Latina Bazaar shared that the shopping center will remain closed until further notice.
“It is a regrettable situation that we had this morning,” Plaza Latina Bazaar shared on Friday. “We ask for your prayers for all the families who work here, hoping to be back firmly, to give them the attention that (your) family deserve.”
What happened?
Dallas Fire-Rescue was dispatched to a 911 call for a structure fire at Plaza Latina Bazaar at 9:12 a.m. local time on Friday, Evans said. Firefighters were met with heavy smoke and fire conditions, so a second-alarm response was requested. In total, 40 to 45 firefighters extinguished the fire over a two-hour period, Evans said.
The fire left behind “severe” structural damage, Evans said, including a partial roof collapse.
Shopping center Plaza Latina Bazaar has many businesses
According to the Plaza Latina Bazaar online directory, the shopping center boasts more than 50 businesses, ranging from restaurants and candy shops to a tattoo parlor and insurance agency.
Chayin Martínez, a content creator based in Dallas, appeared in two videos shared by the shopping center on Friday. In the first, Martínez appeared to be driving to the shopping center to access the fire damage for the first time.
“(There) are many families that depend on this place and obviously I am part of that family,” he said. Martínez can be heard taking a deep sigh before the video ends.
The fire remains under investigation.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
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