Fire at German zoo kills dozens of animals in monkey house

BERLIN: A fire ripped through the monkey house at a German zoo on New Year's Eve, killing roughly 30 animals inside, the zoo said on Wednesday.

Chimpanzees, orangutans, a gorilla, bats and birds were among the animals who died at Krefeld Zoo, near the Dutch border. Two chimpanzees, Bally and Limbo, survived, the zoo said.

A sign reading "No Entrance!" is seen at the burned-out monkey house of the zoo in Krefeld, western Germany, on January 1, 2020. PHOTO: AFP

Describing the fire as an "incomprehensible tragedy", it
said the cause was not known.

Local broadcaster WDR said investigators were exploring the possibility it had been started by a celebratory firework.

The blaze destroyed the monkey enclosure, which opened in 1975, shortly before midnight.

But firefighters prevented the flames from spreading to other buildings at the zoo in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The zoo would remain closed during Wednesday with employees "in shock" after a "terrible tragedy", the management said.

With additional input from AFP