Several animals died in an overnight fire at the Alligator and Wildlife Discovery Center at the popular John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk in Madeira Beach.
A post on the center’s Facebook page Thursday morning confirmed the fire and said “almost all the animals are gone.”
“We are devastated,” the post said.
The post did not say how many animals died in the fire.
The downtown fire at 12973 Village Blvd. was reported shortly before 3 a.m., according to on Spectrum Bay News 9news partner of the Tampa Bay Times.
The station reported that nearly all the mammals inside the facility died in the fire. Some reptiles also died, the station reported.
The Madeira Beach Fire Chief explains @BN9 that all the mammals living at the John’s Pass Alligator and Wildlife Discovery Center died in the fire.
Some of the reptiles did too. Reptiles that survived include some alligators and turtles. pic.twitter.com/st5U84aG6G
— Angie Angers (@angie_angers) July 13, 2023
The Madeira Beach Fire Department was on the scene of the fire early Thursday morning, according to a call to the station.
The center housed more than 250 animals, including lizards, small mammals, amphibians, turtles and tortoises, freshwater and saltwater marine life and alligators, according to the facility’s website.
“Our immediate goal is the provision of humane and professional care for surrendered pets and orphaned native wildlife that cannot be safely returned to the wild,” the center said in its mission statement. .
The animals come from places like the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, SPCA, wildlife rescues and owners who could no longer care for their pets, according to the website.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
