Fire officials say a lumbering pet turtle sparked a fastmoving fire in a New York city apartment after crawling out of its tank and knocking over the terrarium's heat lamp.

Giovani, a 6-year-old African tortoise about the size of a basketball, survived. But officials say one firefighter and three police officers suffered smoke inhalation in the fire in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

Another turtle that lived in a water tank was killed.

The New York Post says both reptiles resided in their owner's bedroom. Eighteenyear-old Mohamed Salem and his family were not home at the time.

Fire officials say the heat lamp crashed to the floor, igniting a pile of art supplies, including thinner and paint. Within minutes, the Post reports, the fire spread through the third floor apartment.

Source: New York Post, http:// www.nypost.com

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