Fire rekindles at Durham animal hospital after 6 cats die
A fire that killed six cats at a Durham animal hospital on Tuesday night rekindled Wednesday morning, minutes after fire crews left the scene.
The initial fire at Falconbridge Animal Hospital, at 1401 W. NC Hwy. 54, started before 10 p.m. Tuesday.
Officials with the Durham Fire Department told WRAL a burglary alarm went off, and when an officer arrived, he saw flames coming from the rear of the building.
The fire was extinguished in 11 minutes, but six cats died from the blaze.
A bearded dragon and 15 dogs were rescued and taken to a different hospital.
The fire restarted around 2 a.m. Wednesday, just 10 minutes after fire crews left the scene, officials said.
Dr. Shelli Karl says her alarm system notified her of the fire.
"It was horrible. I came out here as quick as I could," she said. "When I got here, many of the dogs were already on oxygen masks."
Crews said the second fire was much bigger than the first.
The Durham battalion chief said the building has many hidden spaces that could have prevented crews from fully extinguishing the fire.
Karl she knows her customers and their pets personally.
"They're like family to us, so, it's a hard thing to take," she said.
No people were injured in either incident.
Crews were still on the scene early Wednesday morning.
The cause of the fire had not been determined.
