Animals rescued in pet shop fire
Thursday March 12 2009
Chimps, rabbits, budgies, chipmunks and canaries were among the animals dramatically rescued yesterday after a fire broke out in a pet store.
Dedicated staff at Horkan's garden centre and pet shop on the Bundoran Road in Sligo were assisted by firefighters in returning to the building to rescue the collection of small animals, birds and fish that were trapped inside.
The staff dashed through smoke, ferrying cages and tanks containing two six- month-old chipmunks, eight rabbits, 10 budgies, five canaries and up to 40 cold water fish, including goldfish, to safety.
The fire, which broke out at around 11am yesterday in a storeroom at the back of the pet shop, also threatened a filling station and Spar supermarket and offices on the same site.
Six appliances of the Sligo fire service attended the scene with gardai and HSE emergency personnel. Staff and customers had to be evacuated but the fire was quickly brought under control.
All the animals, including the store pet, a guinea-pig called Dandelion, were carried to nearby cars where they were kept warm until alternative accommodation was found in the homes of staff and in a sister shop in Castlebar.
Garden centre manager Mick Horkan, who led the rescue attempt, said that firemen managed to contain the fire to an area at the back which enabled the staff of four to return to the building and get the animals out alive.
"The fire did get to the side of the building but our main problem was smoke. It was quiet when the fire broke out and I don't believe there were many if any customers inside. There was no danger really."
- ANITA GUIDERA
