All 24 cats and kittens at Stephenville SPCA die in fire
Firefighters douse hot spots into afternoon
Fire crews remained on the scene of a fire on Main Street in Stephenville on the west coast of Newfoundland Friday morning and afternoon, after a building containing an animal shelter and at least two businesses was destroyed.
The building, which previously held the the bar Club 104, now holds the local SPCA as well as Warrior Yoga and Debbie's Video. A veterinary clinic had recently moved out.
All groups were renting the space.
Donna Hobbs, executive director of the South West Coast SPCA, confirmed that all 24 of the cats and kittens being housed at the animal shelter had perished in the fire.
Hobbs added that all of the felines were under a year old.
"We take consolation in the fact they didn’t suffer, the fire started on the other side of the building, they died from smoke inhalation," the organization tweeted late Friday morning.
Hobbs said there were only cats at the SPCA at the time, as other animals were out in foster homes.
"Our group has worked extremely hard over the past few years to shelter these and other animals and it is heartbreaking to think they were halfway to a forever home before this tragedy occurred," the SPCA said in a statement released Friday afternoon.
The SPCA moved into the space last November, while trying to find the funds for a new building.
The group said it is now looking for donations.
One of the firefighters had slipped on ice while fighting the fire and was taken to hospital to be checked out. She later returned to the fire scene to help battle the blaze.
The fire broke out around 5 a.m., and by 6:30 a.m. people were posting pictures on social media of the building engulfed in flames.
Main Street was closed and detours were set up as crews worked to extinguish the fire.
Former MHA Joan Shea tweeted her reaction to the news that the cats had perished in the fire.
Stephenville Mayor Tom O'Brien urged people to avoid the area, while crews worked to put out the fire.
"It was a major fire," he said. "The biggest piece of advice we can give right now is to try and stay out of the area."
O'Brien said the town's fire department was getting help from the firefighting school at the College of the North Atlantic.
The town has also implemented a boil order due to the impact on the water supply. O'Brien said the move is a precaution to avoid contamination.
"Our public works department is working behind the scenes to keep enough water on the fire," he said.
The Bay St. George RCMP said the cause of the blaze hasn't been determined.