Animals dead after pet store consumed in Steinbach strip mall fire
CBC
Four businesses are now a smoldering pile of rubble and a number of animals are dead after a fire consumed a strip mall in the southeast Manitoba city of Steinbach.
Emergency crews were called at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday to the Main Street mall, home to a pet store, flooring store, paint store and a tax office.
"There were animals — we were able to get a few of them out but the majority of them perished," said fire Chief Kelvin Toews.
Steven Larson, manager of Best West Pet Foods, said three reptiles were saved before the fire escalated.
"They were able to save a few of them, not nearly enough, but at the same time they did everything they could," he said about the firefighters.
There were also 26 tanks full of fish, along with cages containing birds, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, mice and rats that are all lost.
"It was heartbreaking, for sure. The pets we had, we cared for them a lot," Larson said. "A lot of them had names, so it's just been hard."
Larson said an employee called him around 3:15 p.m. saying she could smell something burning and was wondering what to do. So he started heading there when he got another call saying there was smoke coming into the store.
Firefighters were already on scene when Larson got there and he was not allowed inside the store.
"It was a lot more farther along at that point than I was expecting. But you can never expect a fire like we ended up with," he said.
As for the rescued reptiles "they've all got vet checks later today that we gotta take them to, but they look like they're all going to make it," he said.
"You never know with smoke inhalation, animals have tiny lungs. They seem to be getting better today, compared to what they looked like yesterday."
The reptiles will be fostered by Larson and an employee but has also received "hundreds of offers" from people offering space as well.
"It's been really overwhelming, for sure."
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