Ohio

10 Animals Killed in Fire at Northern Ohio Wildlife Park

African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton said in a statement it was "devastated" by the loss of animals in the blaze. No staff or guests were hurt

Ten animals died in a fire Thursday night at a wildlife park in northern Ohio, the park's owner said.

Holly Hunt, the owner of African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton, in Ottawa County along Lake Erie, said three bongos, three giraffes, three red river hogs and a springbok were killed in the fire in a barn used for overnight care and security, NBC News reports. Bongos and springboks are species of antelope.

A zebra that was housed in an overhang outside the barn was saved, said Hunt, but all of the park's 300 others animals, including deer, bison, elk, llamas, giraffes and alpacas, were safe. The park was closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, and no human injuries were reported.

A giraffe widely seen fleeing the fire on social media hadn't been in the barn, Hunt said. It was freed to escape the flames and ran into a pond, from which animal keepers and doctors were able to direct it to safety, she said.

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