Gas Explosion at a WV Shelter - they need help!

From a local list:

11/22/05 approximately 3:00 pm

It is with the heaviest of hearts that I write this post. I can't stop crying. We need help! There's been a gas explosion at the Mason County shelter in Point Pleasant WV. It happened during the installation of the new heating system.

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/masoncounty.html

All of the following information was gathered in the first hour after
the explosion. Details may change as things settle down and volunteers get there to help assess the situation. All of the staff members made it out alive. Danielle, the shelter director, has suffered smoke inhalation from going back in to rescue animals. Of all the cats/kittens at the shelter, only one made it out alive. It had to be resuscitated. No idea if it will live.

It is believed that all of the puppies died in the fire and smoke...the staff couldn't get to the puppy or cat rooms to pull them out.

They were able to get to the large dog kennels and pull out a lot of
the dogs. They basically pushed them out the door and the dogs are running loose. Not all got out. Some died in the initial explosion, others probably of smoke inhalation. Initial estimate is that approximately 50-60 dogs were pushed out the door by the dedicated kennel staff who refused to give up trying to save them.

At the moment, the building appears to be a total loss. All they have
is possibly the use of a few outside pens. The remaining dogs are being rounded up now. It's cold in WV...there's no indoor place to house these animals.(Update 11/23: Supplies are NOT needed at this time. We have food and bowls for the dogs. Please consider sending cash instead.

Paypal link: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr )

They need a building...can someone in or near Mason County WV loan them the use of a vacant building until they can move these dogs out to rescues? For location purposes, their zip code is 25550. Shelter is located in Point Pleasant.

(Update 11/23: The recycling center let us house dogs last night. THANK YOU! We will try to move them out to rescues as quickly as possible.)

The rescues they work with on a regular basis have been contacted and hopefully will be able to take some dogs into foster care.

:-(

Sending them prayers and a donation.

It has been posted at just about all of the animal rescue forums on YahooGroups.com. The news travels quickly.

All but one cat, died. Many dogs died. All of the puppies died. The fire department told me that one man has been life flighted to a hospital.

We have a crew on the way to the site now. Small Pawsers Bob and Marian Steel are 10 minutes out. Denise Toliver is 15 minutes out. They are all headed to the site with crates and Bob will offer his truck to transport animals to area shelters if need be.

I have authorized Marian and Bob to stop at Walmart for the emergency supplies they are asking for, tonight. Small Paws will supply these for them. We are also going to be feeding the volunteers who have been there since 2:30 this afternoon. Below are the emails from tonight.

They are very grateful we are on the way...and you all should be very proud of our volunteers tonight. It is freezing there and the volunteers there are in shock and running on adrenaline.

We hope to have updates later. Love, Robin

These are the emails from tonight with the shelter.
_____________________________________________________________________

We have volunteers enroute to the site with crates.7:37 P.M.
Date: 11/22/2005
To: masoncawl@yahoo.com
CC: savethedogs@rcn.com, sally_cammack@yahoo.com, FurryFriendsNet@aol.com

If they tell you they are from Small Paws Rescue, they are approved Volunteers with us. They are offering to foster your animals. Bob and Marion Steel are wonderful and they are on there way as is Denise Toliver. Our prayers go with you. God Bless you all. Robin Pressnall, Executive Director Small Paws Rescue Tulsa Oklahoma 1-918-638-5854>
________________________________________________________________________


Re: We have volunteers enroute to the site with crates.7:37 P.M.
Date: 11/22/2005 6:50:33 PM Central Standard Time
From: savethedogs@rcn.com
To: Pup3@aol.com, masoncawl@yahoo.com
CC: sally_cammack@yahoo.com, FurryFriendsNet@aol.com

THANK YOU!

Trish