(Published Thursday, March 15, 2007 11:19:07 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
Gazette Staff
DELAVAN-Firefighters rescued a pet alligator from an apartment fire at 520½ E. Walworth Ave. Wednesday afternoon.
A dog was also rescued from the fire, which started because of faulty wiring in the heat lamp used to keep the foot-long alligator warm in its tank, Assistant Fire Chief Tim O'Neill said.
The fire, reported at 3:11 p.m., was under control within 10 minutes. Nobody was in the apartment at the time of the fire, O'Neill said.
A friend of the tenants sustained minor cuts from glass shards when they tried to enter the apartment to save the pets, O'Neill said. That person was treated on scene.
Three people will be temporarily displaced until building inspectors lift a condemnation order for the upstairs apartment, O'Neill said.
Damage was contained to the living room, hallway and kitchen in the apartment. Visual Changes, a beauty salon on the first floor of the historic Victorian building, will remain open.
