On Friday, January 3, 2025, at approximately 9:15 a.m., Dallas Fire-Rescue units responded to a structure fire at the Plaza Latina shopping center, located at 11200 Harry Hines Boulevard in Northwest Dallas.
Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and flames engulfing the large one-story commercial building, which housed multiple small businesses. Suppression efforts began defensively, and a second alarm was immediately called, bringing around 40-45 firefighters to the scene. Crews used hand lines and three ladder pipes to combat the fire from all sides.
After battling the blaze for nearly two hours, firefighters declared it extinguished at 11:03 a.m. The fire caused extensive structural damage, including a partial roof collapse.
A pet shop located in the rear section of the building sustained significant smoke infiltration, leading to the deaths of all 579 animals inside. Dallas Animal Services removed the deceased animals, which included small birds, chickens, hamsters, two dogs, and two cats. No exotic animals were present.
While the number of people present at the time of the fire remains unclear, no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
