3 tortoises displaced after house fire in southwest Las Vegas
Few residents who lose their homes to fire are as stoic as the three tortoises forced from their two-story home in southwest Las Vegas.
What appeared to be a vacant house at 7430 Scottish Castle Ave., near West Warm Springs Road and South Buffalo Drive, caught fire shortly before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Buchanan of the Clark County Fire Department. When fire crews arrived shortly after 8:40 a.m., they found “a large volume of smoke” coming from the house.
The fire was extinguished within 10 minutes of the department’s arrival, and the reptilian residents, which were found inside the home, did not suffer injuries, Buchanan said.
Buchanan said it was unclear whether the tortoises had been left behind by the home’s previous occupants or were brought into the house by someone after they moved out.
Clark County spokesman Dan Kulin said county animal control brought the tortoises to a shelter.
Someone has claimed the animals, he said, though he did not have any information on the owner.
Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381.
