Rabbits die as flat burns

EASTER tragedy yesterday struck a family of Limerick bunnies.

Six pet rabbits died in a fire which swept through hutches they were being kept in at a city centre basement apartment.

Firemen rescued 10 of the rabbits and they were being treated in a Limerick veterinary hospital last night.

Surgeon Leanne Evertsen of the Crescent Veterinary Clinic in Dooradoyle said: “Firemen brought in 10 rabbits, all alive. Three of the younger ones, which were only weeks old, were suffering for smoke inhalation and shock and the others were not too bad.

“We treated them and they are doing well and we have them in our pet hospital.”

The fire broke out in a cellar area of a basement apartment in Cecil Street at lunchtime.

A man and three children got out safely from the apartment, which was smoke damaged.

A spokesman for Limerick fire brigade said: “When we got the call, we were told people were in the apartment, but on getting there, the people were out. There were about 16 pet rabbits in hutches in a cellar. We managed to get 10 of them out alive, but the others had died from the smoke.”