ThereB次元官网网址檚 much work to be done at Urban Safari Rescue Society in South Surrey after a Saturday morning fire destroyed its front room, killing approximately 60 animals.
B次元官网网址淲e lost all of the mammals B次元官网网址� the sugar gliders, the guinea pigs, the skinny pigs (hairless Guinea pigs), the birdsB次元官网网址� a lot of the reptiles B次元官网网址� we lost frogs, some geckos, some snakes and all of the fish except some of the betas,B次元官网网址� said Pamala-Rose Combs, vice president on the rescue societyB次元官网网址檚 board of directors.
Surrey Fire Service assistant chief of operations Greg McRobbie confirmed dispatch received a call about a possible structure fire at the societyB次元官网网址檚 address, 1395 176 St., at 8:54 a.m. Saturday (Jan. 28) and noted 18 firefighters responded.
B次元官网网址淭hey made entry into the building and found light to moderate smoke conditionsB次元官网网址� there was a small fire contained to a heating unit on one of the animal cages.B次元官网网址�
A power outage had happened the night before, Combs said, and when the power came back on, B次元官网网址渋t came back with a surge that overpowered the surge protector that was powering a snake tank.B次元官网网址�
The front room houses a lot of smaller animals and species, such as bugs and spiders, so about 200 of the rescueB次元官网网址檚 approximately 325 animals were in the room that had the fire.
B次元官网网址淓verybody wants to know what happened to the cockroaches B次元官网网址� the hissing Madagascar cockroaches,B次元官网网址� Combs noted.
B次元官网网址淥ne died out of 100 so they mostly made it.B次元官网网址�
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Right now, she and staff and volunteers are B次元官网网址渇ocusing on what needs to be doneB次元官网网址� and trying to set aside the sad aspects of the fire and its aftermath.
B次元官网网址淲hen we start to focus on the animals that didnB次元官网网址檛 make it and the animals that we may still lose and the amount of work thatB次元官网网址檚 involved it can get a little overwhelming,B次元官网网址� she said Sunday.
B次元官网网址淭he risk weB次元官网网址檙e facing now is secondary respiratory infections.B次元官网网址�
Two separate veterinarians are visiting in the next few days to help assess and treat the remaining animals, all of whom have been moved to a different part of the rescue or temporarily fostered off-site.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e still in triage but coming out, I think.. weB次元官网网址檙e looking at the clean up B次元官网网址� everything is covered with a thick layer of soot,B次元官网网址� Combs said.
B次元官网网址淲hen you start adding up the costs of everything B次元官网网址� all the tanks, the furniture, new front door locksB次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 just adding up. We donB次元官网网址檛 know how much insurance will cover. WeB次元官网网址檙e hoping weB次元官网网址檒l hear from the (insurance) adjuster Monday or Tuesday.B次元官网网址�
In the meantime, theyB次元官网网址檙e buying heaters to help keep all of the animals that were moved warm, as well as replacing every single power bar and electrical cord because they donB次元官网网址檛 know what was affected in the fire.
The room will need to be B次元官网网址渃ompletely guttedB次元官网网址� with rewiring likely required as well, she said.
Even as they deal with the mess, thereB次元官网网址檚 been B次元官网网址渓ittle rays of hope.B次元官网网址�
They had thought the pixie frog was dead, but it turns out, heB次元官网网址檇 just stayed under water long enough to wait out the fire and smoky environment.
B次元官网网址淲e went in today to clean out his tank, thinking he was gone B次元官网网址� and he moved!B次元官网网址� she said.
A small boa named Solo also made it, thanks to the fact he had just been switched to a tank that fell in the fire, breaking the top so he could escape.
B次元官网网址淗e lost an eye he may lose his other eye, but heB次元官网网址檚 alive and he seems to be doing well!B次元官网网址�
TheB次元官网网址檙e hoping the mounting costs will be offset by a fundraiser, one that has been ongoing.
About $2,000 of the GoFundMe is current, but the bulk of it is from 2020 to some time last year, Combs said, noting she didnB次元官网网址檛 want to start a brand new account when one was already active.
Help is needed for cleanup efforts, an theyB次元官网网址檙e trying to keep everyone as updated as possible through the societyB次元官网网址檚 Facebook site.
B次元官网网址淥ne of the heart warming moments in all this heartbreak is the sheer volume of support coming form the public,B次元官网网址� Combs said.
B次元官网网址淭o see it and to see all the people showing up here to helpB次元官网网址� knowing we still mean something to the community and that they still care about us B次元官网网址� it means so much in all of this.B次元官网网址�
tricia.weel@peacearchnews.com
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