A fire broke out at a shopping center in northwest Dallas on Friday morning, causing severe damage to a building that housed multiple small businesses, one of which sold exotic animals, according to fire department officials.
No human injuries were reported in association with the blaze, but several of the animals died, officials said.
Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to a 911 call about a structure fire at Plaza Latina, a shopping center at 11200 Harry Hines Boulevard, that features a variety of Hispanic businesses.
When firefighters arrived on the scene, they found heavy smoke and fire conditions, a statement from the fire department said. The fire escalated to a two-alarm response, resulting in about 45 firefighters working to control the blaze.
Officials said firefighters used hand lines and three ladder pipes to surround and drown the fire from all sides. They continued these efforts for about two hours before the fire was declared extinguished at 11:03 a.m.
The blaze caused severe structural damage, including a partial roof collapse, officials said in the statement. Dallas Animal Control was dispatched to the scene to address the animals involved in the incident.
It was not immediately clear what happened in the moments leading up to the fire or how many people were at the location when the it began, officials said. However, the cause of the blaze is under investigation.