Blaze ravages zoo days after opening
Animals saved but worker in hospital
A ZOO has gone up in flames less than a week after it reopened after coronavirus restrictions were eased.
Firefighters were called to the scene at Fife Zoo in Ladybank just after noon yesterday.
One person was taken to hospital by ambulance, where they were treated last night for smoke inhalation.
The owners revealed all the animals were rescued.
Briony Taylor and Michael Knight said on social media: “All humans and animals are safe. All emergency teams are on site to contain the fire. Thank you for the concern.”
The blaze is thought to have started following an electrical fault in the soft play area on the premises.
A spokeswoman for the fire service said: “We were alerted at 12.11pm to reports of a fire at Fife Zoo near Collessie in Fife. One casualty suffering from smoke inhalation has been handed to the care of the ambulance service.”
The zoo, which reopened at the end of last month, has creatures including zebras and lemurs.
Photos showed smoke billowing from the site.
Locals commented online after seeing the huge blaze.
One wrote: “What a shame, they just managed to get it reopened. Thinking of everyone involved.”
Another added: “This is such a shame after all the hard work they have put in to get it opening. Hope the animals are all OK and the owners and staff are safe.”
Briony, originally from Wales, and her boyfriend Michael, from Essex, bought the former Fife Animal Park in 2015.
The family said recently they “worked from dawn to dusk” to transform the zoo into a home for many different exotic and endangered species.
It paid off when they were approved by three European Endangered Species Programmes to provide a future for some of the world’s most vulnerable animals.
An online page to raise funds for the zoo has been set up by Kristi Morton. She said: “I would like to raise money to help them at this difficult time, as it’s just a small business.”
To donate, go to www.gofundme.com/f/fife-zoo