About 100 animals were killed in a nightly fire at a pet store in Indianapolis.
As the fire brigade announced, it was difficult for the emergency services to get access to the fire in the rear roof area of the building.
Therefore, it would have taken them more than an hour to extinguish the fire on Monday night from Tuesday.
The thick smoke and deadly gases would have killed the animals.
After the extinguishing work, the firefighters inside the shop were presented with a sight "that can only be described as a terrible tragedy," said battalion chief Rita Rieth in a press release.
About 40 dogs, 25 budgies, rabbits and other domestic animals died in their cages.
Several reptiles, fish, an office cat and a "resilient guinea pig," however, survived.
The cause of the fire is still unclear.
The authorities have started the investigation.
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svs / AP