**BREAKING: TURTLE-GATE: Naughty Torty Causes Chaos in London Apartment Complex**
LONDON, ENGLAND – In a bizarre incident that has left residents of a London apartment complex shell-shocked, a mischievous tortoise named Terry sparked a massive fire that ravaged a third-floor unit.
According to eyewitnesses, Terry, a 5-year-old sulcata tortoise, was left unsupervised in his owner’s apartment when he decided to get a little too curious. Witnesses claim that the tortoise, known for his love of exploration and snacks, managed to knock over his heat lamp, which ignited nearby curtains and set off a chain reaction of chaos.
“It was like he had a personal vendetta against the apartment,” said Jane Doe, a neighbor who witnessed the incident. “I mean, who needs a fire starter when you have a tortoise with a penchant for pyromania?”
The London Fire Brigade responded quickly to the emergency, dispatching several fire trucks to the scene. Firefighters reported that they had to navigate through a sea of tortoise toys and shredded paper to reach the source of the blaze.
“It was like a war zone in there,” said Firefighter John Smith. “We’ve seen some weird things in our line of work, but a tortoise starting a fire? That’s a new one.”
Miraculously, no one was injured in the blaze, although Terry the tortoise was seen making a break for it, escaping the apartment and causing a stir among residents.
“I was in shock,” said apartment resident, Emily Johnson. “I mean, who expects to see a tortoise waddling down the hallway, leaving a trail of destruction behind him?”
The cause of the fire has been ruled accidental, and Terry’s owner has been issued a warning for “gross negligence” in tortoise-sitting.
As for Terry, he’s currently under close observation, and his owner has promised to provide him with a “tortoise-sized” fire safety course.
When asked for comment, Terry simply poked his head out of his shell and said, “What? I was just trying to get warm…”
