“Thank goodness my secretary got here early this morning,” said Dr. Galen Sims, the veterinarian for Cropwell Small Animal Hospital.
The death toll could have been higher, if emergency workers had not responded when they did.
When the secretary arrived at the facility at 2308 Mays Drive, she found the facility full of smoke. She immediately called 911.
Pell City Fire Chief Patrick Draper said the Fire Department received the emergency call at about 7:10 a.m. Monday, and were at the scene by 7:13 a.m.
There were more animals inside the clinic.
Sims said the other animals were unconscious but workers were able to revive the other animals.
Draper said apparently a fire started inside a dryer at the clinic.
He said the fire was contained inside the dryer, but smoke from the fire filled the clinic.
Sims said the other animals are still being monitored and some of the animals were transported to another veterinarian clinic, where oxygen was available.
“They (the animals) are not out of the woods yet,” Sims said.
Contact David Atchison at datchison@dailyhome.com.
