50 animals evacuated as fire starts in building next to Basildon vets
About 50 animals were evacuated after a building next door to a vets caught fire.
The blaze started next to Southfields Veterinary Specialists in Gardiners Lane South, Basildon, Essex. The fire service, police, paramedics and a power company were called - and although vets had managed to get every animal out, help was needed to shuttle the ill animals to another nearby vets so their treatment could continue.
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Hide AdThe cause of the fire, which took hold just before 1.45pm on Thursday, is not suspicious.
Acting Inspector Kirsty Flynn, of Basildon Local Policing Team, said: “It doesn’t matter whether we receive a report of a crime in progress or a concern for welfare, priority one for us is protecting life and keeping the public safe. That isn’t just a promise to keep people safe, but animals too. We know all too well a pet is a family member and we recognised just how important it was to get these animals to another site so they could continue to receive care. This was a prime example of emergency services working as a team to ensure an effective response to a serious incident.”
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