Security Camera Captures Tortoise Slowly Fleeing Fire

A security camera captured the moment a fire engulfed the shed that Leo the tortoise was living in — causing her to slowly run away.

Leo’s owner, Hyeri Tom, was away at a Super Bowl party when a rogue heat lamp fell over in the enclosure housing the reptile. Leo’s owner shared a video of the fire raging inside the shed as the sulcata tortoise continued to sleep.

But moments later, Leo awoke from her slumber and was captured walking away from danger as fast as she could manage.

The footage quickly went viral online. But most importantly, Leo is okay — although she no longer has a house.

The incident took place in Fullerton, California. Fortunately, a neighbor spotted the fire and quickly put it out before it could do any more damage.

Sharing the footage to TikTok, owner Hyeri Tom joked, “sports mode unlocked”. Tortoises famously move slowly. “In all seriousness — thankful beyond words for attentive neighbors who helped put out the fire,” Tom adds. “Leo is safe. The heat lamp fell and ignited the substrate.”

Tom says she is sharing the footage as a warning to other tortoise owners. “Secure your heat lamps. This could’ve ended very differently.”

Leo has since been “taking it easy after her big adventure”, eating cucumber as the family set about building her a new home.

Last week, a sleepy mountain lion posed for a few amusing selfies after a nature photographer set up a trail camera right next to a kill. Proving that it can often be remote automatic cameras that capture the best shot.