Puppies Perish In Miami Strip Shopping Center Fire

MIAMI (CBS4) – More than two dozen puppies died after a smoky fire ripped through a Miami strip shopping center.

An electrical fire erupted in the Fancy Bead store in the 3200 block of NW 7th Street and quickly spread.

Inside the Beverly Hills Puppy store 30 puppies, trapped in their cages, died when smoke filled the store.

"As you can see the problem here was the smoke damage which is what killed the puppies, it wasn't the fire that killed them it was the smoke, they could not breath," said Martin Leon.

The store's owners said were devastated knowing he puppies were helpless when smoke began to fill the store.  It's also a financial loss for them; each dog would have sold for more than $2,000.

John Martinez, owner of The Fancy Bead, said they carried every kind of bead imaginable. He said he put his soul into the store and in just a matter of minutes Wednesday night it was gone in an electrical fire.  To make matters worse, said Martinez, four years ago he dropped his insurance because he could no longer afford it.

"It's terrible. I'm almost 70 years old, what am I going to do," said Martinez. "Where am I going to go?"

A couple of doors down, a catering kitchen is out of business – for now.  Much of the ceiling collapsed or was pulled down during the fire.

"As you can see, everything is destroyed," said owner Alejandro Medina.

Medina said his biggest clients are the elderly in this area.  He makes 450 meals every day.  While his pots and pans have gone cold now, he plans to get cooking again very soon.

"I promised them I'll start on Monday with that.  I think I can do it," said Medina.

But it won't be in his current location.

"Another location, here impossible, everything is destroyed her," said Medina.