'It's our worst nightmare': Zookeeper's devastation after meerkats, reptiles and otter die in fire which killed 80 animals
Reptiles, otters and insects have died in a fire at a zoo's tropical animal house in the early hours today.
Horrified owners Brian and Shirley Curran were woken by an alarm at 3.50am yesterday and found the enclosure ablaze at Five Sisters Zoo in Polbeth, West Lothian.
As many as 80 animals are feared dead in the fire which broke out at Five Sisters Zoo at Polbeth, West Calder, West Lothian, at 3.50am.
Scroll down for video
It is understood that all the animals in the reptile house, which included tortoises, turtles, lizards, geckos, snakes and iguanas, have died.
Nine meerkats are missing, two have been put down and two more are being treated for smoke inhalation, along with a group of lemurs who survived the fire.
The number of animals dead is not yet known because the burnt out structure is not safe to enter, but a spokesman said dozens had perished.
Firefighters were able to rescue two dwarf crocodiles and an otter were rescued by firefighters.
Lesley Coupar, of marketing and visitor services at the zoo, described the blaze as ‘the worst nightmare’.
She confirmed that a range of reptiles and insects living in the reptile house, and an otter housed elsewhere, have died.
‘We are devastated. It's the worst nightmare,’ she said.
‘We're in the business of rescuing animals, giving a safe haven to animals. To look now at the shell of the reptile house and everything gone from there, it's just the worst tragedy ever.
‘There were dozens of animals inside the reptile house and they all died. Nothing survived.
‘The owners are obviously distraught, as are we all. We're all animal lovers. The Currans have put their lives into the zoo. They are distraught.
‘The only thing to be thankful for is that some animals from the reptile house were being temporarily housed elsewhere.’
She added: ‘We think some meerkats managed to escape by fleeing into a
tunnel which connects their enclosure with an outside area.
‘The crocodiles were also safe because they were in their outside pool area.’
Describing how events unfolded, she said: ‘The alarm went off around 4am. The owners, who live on site, woke up to this and came down to see the reptile house ablaze.’
Ms Coupar said the dwarf west African crocodiles housed behind the reptile house have been saved.
But she added: ‘One of our beloved otters was found dead. The otters are a huge, popular attraction at the zoo, so many people love them.
‘Sadly the male has gone. The female is being looked after by the vet just now.’
The fire, which is ongoing, has been confined to the tropical house, is understood to have been well alight during the incident.
A total of 11 fire engines, including specialist appliances, were involved in the operation at its height.
Ruth MacLeod, a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman, said work was continuing to extinguish the blaze, which broke out several hours ago.
She said: ‘The tropical house where the fire broke out was well alight when crews arrived on scene. High winds made firefighting conditions more difficult but crews successfully battled to prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring animal enclosures.
‘They're still firefighting but it is contained to the tropical house. I think we'll be there for several hours.’
Ms MacLeod said crews remain at the scene in ‘significant number’.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘Police are currently in attendance at a zoo in West Calder in response to a fire that broke out within a building housing exotic animals at around 4am today.
‘The fire service is also in attendance and is dealing with the building and road closures are in place in the vicinity as emergency services respond to the incident.
‘The cause of the fire is yet unknown and investigations will take place in due course.’
50 firefighters tackled the blaze at Five Sisters Zoo, seen from the air near the lake with West Calder nearby
The Currans opened the zoo, which had around 130 animals, in 2005. They had previously run a garden centre with a few pens holding exotic animals.
The couple are said to be ‘utterly devoted’ to animals and last year they raised £80,000 to save three elderly female brown bears bears from a life of misery in Belgium.
The trio had worked for years in a travelling circus but had been abandoned after the owner fell ill.
Lesley said: ‘The Currans campaigned tirelessly to raise the money and the bears now live in a state-of-the-art two-acre woodland enclosure.’The privately-owned zoo was established in 2005, according to its website.
The zoo, described as a
non-profit making organisation, is said to have a collection of over 130
different species of animals, birds and reptiles from around the world.
No humans are thought to have been injured in the incident.
Horrified owners Brian and Shirley Curran were woken by an alarm at 3.50am yesterday and found the enclosure ablaze at Five Sisters Zoo in Polbeth, West Lothian.
As many as 80 animals are feared dead in the fire which broke out at Five Sisters Zoo at Polbeth, West Calder, West Lothian, at 3.50am.
Scroll down for video
All the animals in the reptile house were killed in the fire at Five Sisters Zoo in West Lothian in the early hours this morning
Fire Incident Commanders, Fraser Simpson,left, and Matt Acton at the scene of this morning's fire
An investigation will be launched into the cause of the fire at Five Sisters Zoo, which is not yet known
50 firefighters and 11 fire engines were called to tackle the blaze which was described as 'fierce' and burned for many hours.It is understood that all the animals in the reptile house, which included tortoises, turtles, lizards, geckos, snakes and iguanas, have died.
Nine meerkats are missing, two have been put down and two more are being treated for smoke inhalation, along with a group of lemurs who survived the fire.
Staff react to the news of a fire at the reptile house at the Five Sisters Zoo at Polbeth, West Calder, West Lothian
Zoo workers were able to assess the damage at Five Sisters Zoo, where dozens of animals died in a blaze today
High winds may have caused the fire at Five Sisters Zoo, West Lothian to spread, a fire spokesman said
VIDEO The aftermath of the fire which left 80 animals dead at zoo
A colony of 500,000 leaf cutting ants were lost as well as crickets and stick insects.
The number of animals dead is not yet known because the burnt out structure is not safe to enter, but a spokesman said dozens had perished.
Firefighters were able to rescue two dwarf crocodiles and an otter were rescued by firefighters.
Firefighters and vets carry an animal box away from a fire in the reptile house at the Five Sisters Zoo at Polbeth, West Calder
Firefighters rescued an otter and two dwarf crocodiles from the fire at Five Sisters Zoo, West Calder, West Lothian
50 firefighters and 11 fire engines were called to the blaze at the zoo which started at 3.50 am today
She confirmed that a range of reptiles and insects living in the reptile house, and an otter housed elsewhere, have died.
‘We are devastated. It's the worst nightmare,’ she said.
‘We're in the business of rescuing animals, giving a safe haven to animals. To look now at the shell of the reptile house and everything gone from there, it's just the worst tragedy ever.
‘There were dozens of animals inside the reptile house and they all died. Nothing survived.
‘The owners are obviously distraught, as are we all. We're all animal lovers. The Currans have put their lives into the zoo. They are distraught.
‘The only thing to be thankful for is that some animals from the reptile house were being temporarily housed elsewhere.’
A police officer at the Five Sisters Zoo at Polbeth, West Calder, following a fire in the reptile house
Fire incident commander Fraser Simpson, right, with a SEPA Investigator and the Zoo owner Brian Curran at the scene of the fire
Charred coops can be seen where firefighters assessed the damage caused by the fire which burned for many hours
‘The crocodiles were also safe because they were in their outside pool area.’
Describing how events unfolded, she said: ‘The alarm went off around 4am. The owners, who live on site, woke up to this and came down to see the reptile house ablaze.’
Ms Coupar said the dwarf west African crocodiles housed behind the reptile house have been saved.
But she added: ‘One of our beloved otters was found dead. The otters are a huge, popular attraction at the zoo, so many people love them.
‘Sadly the male has gone. The female is being looked after by the vet just now.’
The fire, which is ongoing, has been confined to the tropical house, is understood to have been well alight during the incident.
Zoo spokesman Lesley Coupar said the reptile house will be demolished after it was destroyed by flames
Some of the animals rescued by firefighters suffered smoke inhalation and could not be saved by vets
Ruth MacLeod, a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman, said work was continuing to extinguish the blaze, which broke out several hours ago.
She said: ‘The tropical house where the fire broke out was well alight when crews arrived on scene. High winds made firefighting conditions more difficult but crews successfully battled to prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring animal enclosures.
‘They're still firefighting but it is contained to the tropical house. I think we'll be there for several hours.’
Ms MacLeod said crews remain at the scene in ‘significant number’.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘Police are currently in attendance at a zoo in West Calder in response to a fire that broke out within a building housing exotic animals at around 4am today.
‘The fire service is also in attendance and is dealing with the building and road closures are in place in the vicinity as emergency services respond to the incident.
‘The cause of the fire is yet unknown and investigations will take place in due course.’
All animals in the reptile house at Five Sisters Zoo, Polbeth, near Livingston, Scotland died in a fire earlier today
50 firefighters tackled the blaze at Five Sisters Zoo, seen from the air near the lake with West Calder nearbyThe Currans opened the zoo, which had around 130 animals, in 2005. They had previously run a garden centre with a few pens holding exotic animals.
The couple are said to be ‘utterly devoted’ to animals and last year they raised £80,000 to save three elderly female brown bears bears from a life of misery in Belgium.
The trio had worked for years in a travelling circus but had been abandoned after the owner fell ill.
Lesley said: ‘The Currans campaigned tirelessly to raise the money and the bears now live in a state-of-the-art two-acre woodland enclosure.’The privately-owned zoo was established in 2005, according to its website.
No humans are thought to have been injured in the incident.