MENDOTA – The massive 5-alarm blaze in downtown Mendota that destroyed much of a block of Illinois Avenue on Thursday took the lives of many, but apparently not all of the animals in a pet store. Owner of UJ Pets, Jennifer Sibley, say that on Friday firefighters around 10 AM found a bearded dragon, a tiny turtle, a pair of frogs, two axelotals and some fish that somehow survived the blaze and temperatures that plunged into the lower 40’s overnight. According to Mendota Fire Chief Dennis Rutishauser the investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing. Owner Jennifer Sibley said the shop Macaw, Mango and Cockatoos Lucy and Melvin were safe.
