Fire inside suburban Chicago animal shelter leaves more than 100 animals hospitalized
TINLEY PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- A fire forced the closure of an animal shelter in southwest suburban Tinley Park, and left more than 100 animals hospitalized.
The fire broke out around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday inside the laundry room at P.A.W.S. Tinley Park.
Volunteers called the Tinley Park Fire Department. Crews arrived quickly and put out the fire. Although the flames were confined to the laundry room where a large dryer malfunctioned, smoke filled the rest of the shelter, affecting over 100 animals.
Workers at the shelter also mobilized and reached out to volunteers who worked with firefighters to get the animals out, averting what could have been a tragedy.
"You just do what needs to be done at the time and at the time it was to make sure that all the people, of course, but the animals were all brought to safety," said Mark Favre, a P.A.W.S. Tinley Park board of directors member.
Volunteers and firefighters formed a rescue assembly line to get the animals out.
"We had people giving cages, getting the animals, putting them in carriers and carrying them out," Favre said. "It was just incredible. At that point, you just run on adrenaline."
Midwest Animal Hospital in Orland Park sent veterinarians and staff to pick up all the animals. In all, 55 cats and 42 dogs were rescued and taken to the hospital where some were treated for smoke inhalation.
"Very scary. The animals are doing okay. We do have a few that are still on oxygen, some that are a little lethargic," P.A.W.S. Tinley Park President Terri Buckley said.
The shelter was not only grateful for the fire department and hospital, but for the community members who have dropped off donations like towels and beds, since many were lost in the fire. Still, as medical bills mounted, the team at the shelter are asking for donations to help pay.
PAWS will accept monetary donations to help pay for the animals' medical bills, a new dryer, and repairs and cleanup at the shelter. For more information, email the shelter at donate@pawstinleypark.org or visit PAWSTinleyPark.org.