MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Firefighters battled intense flames Tuesday night at the Pet Loss Center in west Miami-Dade County.
The fire broke out shortly after 9:30 p.m. at the pet crematorium near West Flagler Street and Northwest 109th Avenue.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Lt. Kirsten Miller said flames were coming from the roof of the building when firefighters arrived.
"We discovered there was a ruptured gas line which was why it was so difficult to extinguish the fire," Miller said.
The building is part of the Pet Heaven Memorial Park. The pet cemetery was not damaged in the fire.
Damaras Gantarillas told Local 10 News that she took the body of her 18-year-old cat to the Pet Loss Center on Monday to be cremated. She said she's speechless after seeing the destruction left behind Wednesday morning.
"What's going to happen with my pet? That's what I need to know," she said.
Another woman, Maria Amador, said she cremated her English bulldog in 2017. Princess's ashes were scattered in a garden on site that Amador and her family would visit frequently.
"This is shocking," she said.
No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
At 9:36pm, #MDFR responded to a #SecondAlarm fire on NW 109 Ave & W Flagler St. Units arrived to find flames coming from the roof of the structure. Over 20 MDFR units worked to place the fire #UnderControl. There are no reported injuries & the cause is under investigation. pic.twitter.com/RAakYrAxVA
— MDFR (@MiamiDadeFire) July 3, 2019