The Mountain Town Reptile Museum in Oak Tree Village in Oak Glen was completely destroyed by fire on March 14.
A first report came in that the roof was aflame around 11:40 a.m. Cal Fire Riverside, Redlands Fire, San Bernardino Fire, the U.S. Forest Service and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department responded.
Ken Azzato, a local resident, and a number of individuals with the Lutheran Camp moved quickly, and before the safety agency first responders were on the scene, they entered the structure to haul most of the live exhibits – iguanas, tortoises, exotic birds and the like – out and to safety.
There were widespread social media reports that all of the animals had perished in the fire. By the time the fire agencies were on the scene, the building, which was originally erected in 1962, was engulfed in flames and thick smoke, making it impossible to enter the structure. By that point, the lion’s share of the animals were rescued. Some twenty fell victim to the conflagration.