A trailer carrying dozens of puppies to pet stores caught fire just off an interstate highway in Massachusetts in the United States, killing all of the estimated 60 dogs inside, authorities said.
The driver first noticed smoke coming from his trailer just before 5pm local time on Monday, state police said. He pulled over, and the Lowell fire department put out the flames that engulfed the trailer but could not save the puppies.
The puppies were a variety of breeds between the ages of eight and 12 weeks, according to a state police news release.
Neither the driver, identified as Joseph Price (40), of Joplin, Missouri, nor his passenger, William Iriarte (50), of Neosho, Missouri, was injured.
A preliminary investigation indicated that a malfunctioning fan in the rear of the trailer may have started the fire, police said. No charges have been filed.
The truck was owned by the Hunte Corporation of Goodman, Missouri, a major puppy supplier for pet stores.
”The puppies were all beautiful, healthy purebreds that were on their way to quality retailers in the northeast and eventually to loving New England families,” the company said in a statement, adding that it has a near-perfect safety record. — Sapa-AP