Fires destroy three animal shelters in three weeks

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2007:

Thirty-foot flames erupting at about 2:00 a.m. from a laundry
area razed the Jacksonville Humane Society on April 7, 2007,
killing 67 cats and 18 dogs, chief operating officer Danya
Parks-Freel told Matt Galnor of the Florida Times-Union.
Jacksonville Fire & Rescue spokesperson Tom Francis said a fire
captain suffered burns and other firefighters had to be pulled from
the wreckage after the roof collapsed as they tried to open cages and
carry animals to safety. Firefighters reportedly adopted many animals
on the spot. A separate veterinary clinic and runs for about 50
dogs were reportedly the only facilities that remained useable –but
executive director Leona Shed-dan had kept backup computer files off
site, enabling a rapid resumption of most activities. Owning 27
acres, the humane society hoped to rebuild and expand. The city of
Jacksonville has meanwhile planned to build a $9 million new animal
care and control center. Mayoral spokesperson Susie Wiles told
Galnor that the city would be interested in discussing a joint
project with the humane society, which has been no-kill since 2005.

Thirty dogs, 20 cats, and 14 birds were killed by smoke
from a March 28, 2007 fire at Rocky’s Fund/ Welcome Home Sanctuary,
operated since 1992 by Mindy Washington, 48, at her home in
Southampton, New York. Southampton chief fire marshal Cheryl Kraft
told Susana Enriquez of Newsday that the fire started near a
refrigerator. “There was a large amount of hair in the area that
allowed the fire to spread,” explained Kraft.

Twenty-three cats were killed, 12 were rescued, and five
unaccounted for after a March 18, 2007 fire at Strays Unlimited,
operated by Paulette Hepworth and Vincent Gugliuzza from their home
in New Haven, Connecticut. The fire appeared to be of electrical
origin, investigator Roy Shafer told Izaskun E. Larraneta of the New
Haven Day.