Copley animal farm catches fire
By Maria Lindsay
COPLEY — A Copley Township residence that is home to L&L Exotic Animal Farm, which houses wild and exotic animals, caught fire May 24, killing animals including two tiger cubs, a bear cub and two iguanas, as well as some small birds.
The animals were in cages inside
the home, at 2060 Columbus Ave., at the time of the
fire. Owner Lorenza Pearson
and his family were not home when the fire broke out,
and the fire did not spread to the large animal cages
behind the house.
Copley Fire Chief Todd Chambers
said an investigation has revealed that the fire was
started by a space heater in the iguana’s cage.
The home was destroyed in the blaze, according to officials.
In addition to the animals that
were killed in the fire, L&L Exotic Animal Farm
is home to three tigers, a lion, three bears, a raccoon
and six pit bulls, which Pearson displays at fairs and
other events. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
visited the farm May 26 to ensure the safety and health
of the remaining animals.
The fire adds to the list of woes
at the animal farm. In 1983, Pearson’s 2-year-old
son died when a Bengal tiger mauled the boy to death.
Pearson was charged with
involuntary manslaughter and child endangering, but
the charges were later dropped.
In June 2004, a number of local, county
and federal agencies converged on the farm and removed
27 of the 36 exotic animals, citing numerous violations
including the failure to install an Environmental Protection
Agency-approved waste-collection system, lack of veterinary
care and unsanitary conditions. In addition to the health
issues, some neighbors have complained about odors, containment
problems and the treatment of the animals.
An appeal to a Summit County Common
Pleas Court ruling to remove the animals in 2003 was
overturned in 2005, but a hearing on the USDA violation
charges is set for June 20.
In the past, the farm also has
housed leopards, a cougar, a lynx, a bear and an alligator.
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