Sloth World another example of missed warehouse inspections in Orange County, commissioners admit
Commissioners question warehouse oversight after sloth deaths
Orange County commissioners are questioning warehouse oversight procedures after 55 sloths died at a Central Florida attraction while being housed in unpermitted warehouses, raising concerns similar to those sparked by a deadly 2022 fireworks explosion in the county.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - In December 2022, four people were killed when a stockpile of fireworks unknowingly stored in an Orange County warehouse exploded.
At the time, Orange County Commissioners said the warehouse was permitted to store furniture, not pyrotechnics, and that changes needed to be made.
"That’s the most important thing, is that we learn those lessons and prevent any more tragedies going forward," Orange County District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson told FOX 35 at the time.
Four years later, questions are being raised after more than 50 sloths imported from Central and South Americas over the span of 15 months were stored in warehouses in Orange County – and died. Thirteen were found alive and taken to the Central Florida Zoo in April 2026 for emergency treatment, where three have tragically died.
Orange County said the building was last inspected in 2021, when it was approved to store vehicles, not animals. Inspectors responded to the warehouse in April 2026, following FOX 35's reporting on the sloth deaths, and found animal shipping containers and found mesh netting that had been installed without a permit.
What happened?
The backstory:
A spokesperson for Orange County said that for someone to use a commercial building, tenants, including new tenants, need to obtain a Business Tax Receipt and a Certificate of Occupancy, as well as go through the use permit process.
FOX 35 has asked if reviews were underway following the Sloth World incident. That's unclear.
Commissioners Wilson and Mike Scott said Thursday during a press conference with Rep. Anna Eskamani and sloth advocates following the sloth deaths that changes are needed, including better communication between county, state, and federal partners.
FWC had conducted an inspection in August 2025, where inspectors first learned about the deaths of 31 sloths months earlier, and checked on the conditions of new sloths.
No one alerted Orange County, according to Commissioner Wilson.
"The idea that FWC was there in August of 2025 and never gave us any information to follow up on," said Commissioner Wilson, shaking her head disappointingly. "That could have prevented so much suffering and death. We need to close that gap."
"All they had to do was make a call," she said.
"What do we do to make sure we know what’s going on in Orange County’s warehouses?" Edinger asked Commissioner Scott.
"It is a delicate balance, because once you get your permits and things open for business, there isn't any additional oversight unless there's a complaint," he said.
So, what solutions are possible? Here's what commissioners discussed.
Fire Inspections
Dig deeper:
Records showing fire inspections are not always happening when they’re supposed to.
The County Fire Marshal is supposed to check businesses deemed "low-risk", such as storage facilities, every three years. Higher-risk businesses like apartment complexes and healthcare facilities are inspected twice a year, as are critical infrastructure buildings like water and power plants.
But those once-every-three-year checks are not happening on schedule.
The Orange County Fire Department said it has no record of Sloth World’s warehouse on 22nd Street ever being checked. An FWC report from March 19, 2026, said wildlife officers found 20 sloths at that facility, which the county said it was not aware of.
"The Orange County Fire Department says it last inspected Sloth World's warehouse on International Drive in February 2022, when the previous tenants were storing cars there.
The Florida Fire Prevention Code and Orange County Existing Occupancy Inspection Program require storage facilities to be checked every three years, meaning Orange County Fire should have returned to the site for an inspection in February 2025. By that point, the FWC says Sloth World was already storing sloths at the site, and 31 had passed away by the end of that month. But the Fire Department says that inspection didn't happen."
That same issue came up with Magic in the Sky and the fireworks explosion. Records show officials were on site in October 2021, but the Fire Marshal didn’t come back for another check in 2024, following the 3-year rule.
More boots on the ground
What's next:
Commissioners said it would be helpful to have more Orange County Code Enforcement Officers to conduct inspections. That would take money.
The County has budget meetings in July. It is unclear if that is up for discussion
The Source: FOX 35 has been investigating Sloth World Orange and the Orange County warehouse for months, obtaining records, documents, and statements from FWC, Orange County, City of Orlando, USDA. FOX 35's Marie Edinger talked with Orange County Commissioners Wilson and Scott at Thursday's press conference about the permits and the dead sloths.