Georgetown Fire Chief John Sullivan recently provided some updates for families on the investigation of a tragic fire at the Ponderosa Pet Resort in Georgetown, as well as proposed changes to City fire codes. The fire on September 18 led to the deaths of 75 dogs boarded at the facility. 25 firefighters responded to the blaze but their efforts were not enough as none of the dogs survived.
Fire investigators have determined the fire started about 10:40 p.m. in the main kennel/boarding area. Probable ignition sources are still being evaluated. Sullivan said that investigators are focusing on devices in the kennel area that potentially malfunctioned.
Building material inside the kennel area may have contributed to an increased spread of smoke from the fire, Sullivan said. The facility does not have monitored smoke or heat detection devices or a fire suppression system, such as sprinklers. Federal, state, nor Georgetown fire codes actually require sprinkler systems for the use and size of the facility.
“While the investigation is not complete, we have all the information we need to propose changes to our current fire codes,” Sullivan said.
The City of Georgetown is asking for input from the public on possible fire and building code changes that could be implemented to prevent future tragedies.
The Fire Department is currently conducting inspections of 26 animal care facilities in Georgetown and its surrounding extraterritorial jurisdiction area, which include animal boarding facilities and veterinary offices that board animals. The department also has added animal-care facilities to its list of structures that receive annual inspections in the future.
