Editor’s note: This story was updated Friday with new developments.
PORT CLINTON — Authorities continue to investigate a fire that killed 10 exotic animals, including three giraffes, inside a barn at African Safari Wildlife Park in Danbury Township on Thanksgiving night.
African Safari Wildlife Park remained closed Friday after the giraffes, three bongos, three red river hogs, and a springbok died in the blaze. Bongos and springboks are types of antelope.
A Danbury Township firefighter at the main station had no further information Friday morning, but said the department was back on scene with the state fire marshal’s office to continue the investigation.
Rob Vernon, spokesman for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums with which the park is accredited, said the organization was informed immediately by park leadership Thursday evening.
“They were in touch right away,” Mr. Vernon said Friday morning. “They’re on site and working on trying to figure out what happened.”
He said the AZA is not aware of any other animals being injured or otherwise affected by the fire, and any that were loose inside the park were safely recaptured. No animals escaped the park’s property.
Video credit: Aaron DiBucci
A spokesman for the Ohio Department of Agriculture said the agency is aware of the incident but has no oversight authority of the wildlife park. A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture was not immediately available Friday morning.
Danbury Township Police Officer Carolyn Demore said she responded about 6:15 p.m. Thursday to the park and found a zebra running loose and one of the barns engulfed in flames.
Catawba, Danbury, and Port Clinton fire departments battled the blaze for more than an hour before getting it under control about 7:30 p.m., officials said.
Officials managed to capture a loose zebra along with a giraffe that, separately, escaped and got stuck in a pond.
In a Facebook post, park officials said their team is “devastated” by reports of the animals’ deaths.
“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 Facebook post read. “The animals lost in this tragedy were part of our African Safari family, and the Park will be closed on Friday as we mourn their loss and care for the other animals living on the 100-area [sic] Park.”
Toledo Zoo officials in a statement Friday said they had reached out to the AZA to offer “any possible assistance.”
“Toledo Zoo’s thoughts and sympathies are with the African Safari Wildlife Park during this difficult time,” the statement said.
The 100-acre wildlife park, which celebrated its 50th season in 2018, boasts more than 50 different animal species including alpacas, zebras, warthogs, porcupines, tortoises, gibbons, and a white alligator. Along with walk and drive-thru safaris, the park also offers educational programs and hands-on activities, such as camel rides and animal feedings for rabbits, kangaroos, and parakeets.
The park was scheduled to be closed on Thanksgiving, according to the website, and the only person on the property was at the time of the blaze was a manager/gamekeeper who lived there, Officer Demore said.
The state fire marshal is leading the investigation.
Keith and Erin Gonsowski of Orland Park, Ill., near Chicago tried to visit the park Friday afternoon with their two children, 12-year-old Steven and 8-year-old Erica. They had not heard of the fire and were sad to learn of the tragedy when they arrived and discovered the park was closed.
“It’s a horrible way to die," Mrs. Gonsowski said. "Being an animal lover, it’s so sad. It really is devastating for us to hear but I can’t even imagine how the workers are feeling.”
The park is one of the family's favorite vacation destinations. They drove five hours Thursday and stayed at an area hotel specifically to visit African Safari because "we love the park so much," Mrs. Gonsowski said.
"We'll be back next year," she added.
Staff writers Alexandra Mester, Mike Sigov, and Jeff Schmucker contributed.
First Published November 29, 2019, 12:22 a.m.
