Reptiles, amphibians and small mammals: Almost all of the 250 animals housed in a wildlife discovery center in Florida died in a fire on Wednesday night.
“We suffered from a tragic fire last night. Almost all animals died. We are devastated,” the Alligator & Wildlife Discovery Center in Madeira Beach, Fla., wrote on Facebook.
Very early Thursday morning, the Madeira Beach Fire Department was called to the scene of the accident by Pinellas County Police Officers after a foot patrol spotted blazing emanating from the facility, according to CNN.
The building, which housed more than 250 animals, reportedly suffered extensive damage due to “rapidly deteriorating conditions,” prompting a 35-minute battle to contain the blaze, Fire Chief Clint Belk reportedly told American media.
“Unfortunately, many animals have lost their lives,” he added.
According to a video shared on Twitter, staff were busy retrieving the few surviving animals on Thursday.
With the release of the discovery center, expressions of support have multiplied from families who have shared fond memories and photos taken with the animals.
“I’m so sorry to hear that and I’m so sorry for your loss. My daughter’s summer camp was there last Tuesday and it was her favorite camp all summer. […] Thank you for your impact,” one mother in particular wrote.
A GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign was launched to help the center.