There害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淲e lost all of the mammals 害羞草研究所� the sugar gliders, the guinea pigs, the skinny pigs (hairless Guinea pigs), the birds害羞草研究所� a lot of the reptiles 害羞草研究所� we lost frogs, some geckos, some snakes and all of the fish except some of the betas,害羞草研究所� said Pamala-Rose Combs, vice president on the rescue society害羞草研究所檚 board of directors.
Surrey Fire Service assistant chief of operations Greg McRobbie confirmed dispatch received a call about a possible structure fire at the society害羞草研究所檚 address, 1395 176 St., at 8:54 a.m. Saturday (Jan. 28) and noted 18 firefighters responded.
害羞草研究所淭hey made entry into the building and found light to moderate smoke conditions害羞草研究所� there was a small fire contained to a heating unit on one of the animal cages.害羞草研究所�
A power outage had happened the night before, Combs said, and when the power came back on, 害羞草研究所渋t came back with a surge that overpowered the surge protector that was powering a snake tank.害羞草研究所�
The front room houses a lot of smaller animals and species, such as bugs and spiders, so about 200 of the rescue害羞草研究所檚 approximately 325 animals were in the room that had the fire.
害羞草研究所淓verybody wants to know what happened to the cockroaches 害羞草研究所� the hissing Madagascar cockroaches,害羞草研究所� Combs noted.
害羞草研究所淥ne died out of 100 so they mostly made it.害羞草研究所�
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Right now, she and staff and volunteers are 害羞草研究所渇ocusing on what needs to be done害羞草研究所� and trying to set aside the sad aspects of the fire and its aftermath.
害羞草研究所淲hen we start to focus on the animals that didn害羞草研究所檛 make it and the animals that we may still lose and the amount of work that害羞草研究所檚 involved it can get a little overwhelming,害羞草研究所� she said Sunday.
害羞草研究所淭he risk we害羞草研究所檙e facing now is secondary respiratory infections.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e still in triage but coming out, I think.. we害羞草研究所檙e looking at the clean up 害羞草研究所� everything is covered with a thick layer of soot,害羞草研究所� Combs said.
害羞草研究所淲hen you start adding up the costs of everything 害羞草研究所� all the tanks, the furniture, new front door locks害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 just adding up. We don害羞草研究所檛 know how much insurance will cover. We害羞草研究所檙e hoping we害羞草研究所檒l hear from the (insurance) adjuster Monday or Tuesday.害羞草研究所�
In the meantime, they害羞草研究所檙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 don害羞草研究所檛 know what was affected in the fire.
The room will need to be 害羞草研究所渃ompletely gutted害羞草研究所� with rewiring likely required as well, she said.
Even as they deal with the mess, there害羞草研究所檚 been 害羞草研究所渓ittle rays of hope.害羞草研究所�
They had thought the pixie frog was dead, but it turns out, he害羞草研究所檇 just stayed under water long enough to wait out the fire and smoky environment.
害羞草研究所淲e went in today to clean out his tank, thinking he was gone 害羞草研究所� and he moved!害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淗e lost an eye he may lose his other eye, but he害羞草研究所檚 alive and he seems to be doing well!害羞草研究所�
The害羞草研究所檙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 didn害羞草研究所檛 want to start a brand new account when one was already active.
Help is needed for cleanup efforts, an they害羞草研究所檙e trying to keep everyone as updated as possible through the society害羞草研究所檚 Facebook site.
害羞草研究所淥ne of the heart warming moments in all this heartbreak is the sheer volume of support coming form the public,害羞草研究所� Combs said.
害羞草研究所淭o see it and to see all the people showing up here to help害羞草研究所� knowing we still mean something to the community and that they still care about us 害羞草研究所� it means so much in all of this.害羞草研究所�
tricia.weel@peacearchnews.com
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