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Exotic pet business catches fire
WILDLIFE: Firefighters had to pick up thousands of snakes, lizards, turtles and other critters after they cleaned up the fire.
By Danny Gallagher, McKinney Courier-Gazette
For once, the challenge for McKinney firefighters wasn’t the fire. It was the snakes, turtles, lizards, insects and alligators they had to save in time.
McKinney fire crews responded to a one-alarm fire early Wednesday morning at the IQW exotic pet wholesaler in the 300 block of Industrial Boulevard.
Dispatchers received a report of a sprinkler alarm just after midnight. Investigators believe the fire started due to an electrical short in the building’s wiring. Roma said the sprinklers contained and controlled the fire before fire crews arrived at the scene.
The bigger problem was the collection of exotic reptiles, insects, amphibians and rodents they had to save before the smoke killed them, Roma said.
“There were concerns for their health and well-being for the next four weeks,” Roma said. “They have respiratory systems that are susceptible to smoke and they are cold blooded and have trouble adapting to the heat.”
The business’ owner, Mike Smith, arrived on the scene to help firefighters remove the animals from the smoke filled building, which included several centipedes, rats, reptiles, non-venomous snakes, spiders, lizards and two 3-foot long alligators. It is still not known exactly how many of the animals died as a result of the fire.
Roma said none of the firefighters were injured during the course of the recovery effort.
“These are animals you don’t take to the SPCA,” Roma said. “The owner got there and was able to save and protect most of these critters.”
Attempts were made to reach Smith, but a representative of the store said he could not be reached by presstime.
Contact Danny Gallagher at dgallagher@acnpapers.com.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
pet lover wrote on Oct 28, 2008 2:51 PM:
" Have we heard yet if any animals were killed? Do they need foster homes? poor babies.. "
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