Giraffes, Other Animals Die in Blaze at Ohio Wildlife Park

At least 10 animals were killed in a barn fire that erupted at an Ohio wildlife park, officials said. The blaze began about 6:15pm Thursday at the African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton, the AP reports. Three bongos, three giraffes, three red river hogs, and a springbok housed in the barn were thought to be dead, fire officials said. Springboks and bongos are types of antelope. Officials captured a loose zebra and a giraffe that escaped and got stuck in a pond, the Toledo Blade reports. The cause of the fire is under investigation. No humans were injured. The park is a drive-through wildlife park, in which visitors can watch and feed animals on the 100-acre property.

The only person on the property at the time of the fire was a person who lived on the grounds, serving as a manager and gamekeeper, Danbury Township Police Officer Carolyn Demore said. Park co-owner Holly Hunt told news outlets that the manager noticed his power flickering and saw the fire when he walked outside. African Safari Wildlife Park officials posted on Facebook that they were “devastated by the loss of animals." "We are grateful that our staff is safe and no one was injured, but the loss of the wildlife that we care for every day is tragic for our team members who love these animals,” the post said.

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