STATESVILLE, N.C. -- Firefighters rushed out to a small explosion at a local animal shelter early Tuesday.

The situation was quickly under control at Iredell County Animal Services.

Officials said there was a small explosion inside the gas chamber used to euthanize animals. It was at the end of the cycle where 10 dogs were being euthanized.

Tracy Jackson, the assistant county manager, said people inside the office didn’t even hear the explosion.

The shelter will not use the gas chamber until a vendor determines what happened and decides it's safe to use. In the meantime, the shelter will euthanize animals with lethal injections.