A fire Tuesday night in Beaumont, Texas, has left 67 dogs dead and others seeking foster homes. A total of 200 animals were housed in the Humane Society of Southeast Texas before the fire.
The fire appears to have originated in a dryer inside the building according to a statement released Wednesday by Beaumont Fire Department Captain Brad Penisson.
"Firefighters began bring animals out of the shelter as soon as possible. Shelter employees and volunteers on scene moved the live animals to a nearby building to treat them. Several animals perished due to smoke conditions in the rooms near the fire origin," he said in the release.
In a statement posted to Facebook, the Humane Society said "there are no words to describe the pain we are feeling right now."
"We are also working on a plan to move forward," the statement read. "When we have a definite plan of action we will let everyone know, but for now we know that several area businesses, groups, and individuals have taken it upon themselves to start relief efforts."
The society was also asking for goodwill and support, especially in finding an interim storage space.
And local residents have already begun trying to help, evidenced by two little girls starting a lemonade stand to support the society.
