As a Dallas firefighter and paramedic, Paulo Bicahlo is trained and ready to rescue people. But when smoke from a fire at the Plaza Latina mall reached a pet store there Friday, he and his crew jumped in to help what animals they could.

Dallas Animal Services removed 579 dead animals from an exotic pet shop inside Plaza Latina Bazaar, a shopping center in Northwest Dallas, following the extinguishing of a fire on

Dallas firefighter and paramedic Paulo Bicahlo and his crew sprang into action to rescue animals from a pet store at Plaza Latina shopping mall after a fire broke out on Friday. Despite their valiant efforts,

Dallas Animal Services removed a total of 579 animals, including small birds, chickens, hamsters, two dogs and two cats.

Most of the animals died of smoke inhalation, officials said. They included birds, chickens, hamsters, dogs and cats.

Dallas Fire-Rescue said a total of 579 animals, mostly birds, died. At least a dozen others were rescued and treated in the parking lot.

Dallas Fire-Rescue said the fire caused moderate damage to the home and is believed to have started near the back of it. The exact cause will remain undetermined pending the Medical Examiner's final ruling on the victim's cause of death, DFR said.

More than 500 animals at a Dallas shopping center pet shop were killed when a fire broke out at the structure, fire authorities said this week.

Dallas authorities are investigating what caused a fire that burned a Dallas shopping center Friday morning and killed more than 500 animals. CW39's Sharron Melton explains.