LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The owners of a Lawrence pet store are vowing to rebuild it following a fire that killed an undisclosed number of animals and injured dozens more. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that fire department officials say they have yet to determine a cause in the Monday fire, which remains under investigation. Co-owner Sherry Emerson said in a statement posted on the business's website that the blaze broke out in the store's backroom, likely near the electrical panels. She said she would "not be announcing a death toll any time soon." While many fish, reptiles and arachnids survived the fire, Emerson said a number of mammals and birds died from the fumes. Snakes that died were removed from the store and will be buried.
Lawrence Pet Store Owners Vow to Rebuild
![Anxious onlookers at the scene of the Pet World fire in Lawrence, May 25, 2015 (Image credit: Richard Noggle)](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dbdc6c2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/640x480+0+0/resize/880x660!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fkansaspublicradio.org%2Ffiles%2Ffield%2Fimage%2Fpetworld4.jpg)