Blaze Destroys Pet Hospital

Los Angeles city firefighters braved flames, a triple-digit heat wave and smoke so thick it could be seen for miles, to rescue dozens of animals trapped by a major blaze that gutted a Tarzana office-and-retail complex Saturday afternoon.

Five dogs, six cats and more than a dozen birds were among the animals safely evacuated from an animal hospital and a pet store in the two-story building at 20037 Ventura Blvd. shortly before part of the structure collapsed and crashed to the ground, Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.

Ninety firefighters battled the blaze for nearly two hours before they were able to contain it at about 5:30 p.m., he said. One firefighter was treated at the scene for heat exhaustion, but no other injuries were reported.

None of the three dogs and three cats that were patients at the Animal Emergency and Critical Care Hospital were injured in the fire, said Matthew Ehrenberg, a hospital veterinarian who was on duty when the fire broke out and helped with the rescue efforts.

“It was pretty scary,” he said. “One of the technicians smelled some smoke and noticed there was a little haze in the air. Once she went upstairs and found out there was actually a fire, we started moving animals out right away.”

As the building became engulfed in flames, firefighters rushed in to the adjoining Pic a Pet pet store to bring two puppies, three kittens, more than a dozen birds and a Guinea pig to safety.

The firefighters, who toted the animals in wire cages to the sidewalk, were greeted by “an outpouring of appreciation” from nearby residents who witnessed the rescue effort, Humphrey said.

Later, police and several onlookers helped transport the animals to Capri Plaza Pet Clinic in Tarzana, where they were treated and given food and water.

“They’re all doing fine,” said Holly Clark, a receptionist at the clinic, who added that several water-drenched birds were placed in incubators to dry off. “They’re being checked over and stabilized.”

Smoke from the fire briefly snarled traffic in both directions on the Ventura Freeway and prompted Los Angeles police officers to close a half-mile section of Ventura Boulevard.

The cause of the fire, which officials say caused an estimated $1 million in losses, is under investigation, Humphrey said.