Heat Lamp to Blame for Fire that Killed Guinea Pigs

A heat lamp started a fire in a pen holding 10 guinea pigs in La Grange Monday morning, Jan. 29. Three guinea pigs perished in the flames. Two others were badly burned.

The fire took place outside a home in the 200 block of Ellinger Road around 8:15 a.m. La Grange Volunteer Fire Department responded with one fire truck and three firefighters. LGVFD quickly extinguished the burning pen.

Fire Chief Frank Menefee said the residents of the home had placed a heat lamp inside the pen to keep the guinea pigs warm at night. Sometime Monday morning the heat lamp started a fire in the pen. 

La Grange animal control officer Dean Ahlschlager also assisted at the scene. Ahlschlager expected at least five of the guinea pigs to survive.