Twenty-eight zoo animals died at the Hollywild Animal Park in South Carolina after an electrical fire started in the Primate Barn on Friday morning.
A light fixture in the building shorted out,
Holly Springs Fire Chief Brent Blackwell told Greenville News. Eight lemurs, four chimpanzees, four wolf hybrid puppies, three tortoises, two capuchins, two baboons, two mangabeys, a bear cub, an African crowned crane, and a barn cat were among those that died, the newspaper said.
"This is very devastating to me and the entire Hollywild family," Beverly Hargus, Hollywild's veterinarian, told Greenville News. "At this point, we do not feel any animals are suffering. None were burned. The survivors are recovering from smoke inhalation. It appears it was a quick and painless death for the animals that died."
An employee discovered smoke in the barn about 8:30 Friday morning, and he got help and opened the up area to clear out smoke, saving 14 animals, the newspaper said.
"We are all heartsick about the loss of our family members," David Meeks, Hollywild's executive director, told the Greenville News. "We are all grieving. We appreciate the care and concern being offered to our community and the larger Hollywild family that includes the thousands of people who have made personal connections to the park and the hundreds of animals who live here."
Blackwell told WYFF, “We have completed an investigation and determined that the cause was an electrical short in one of the light fixtures. The fire traveled up into the ceiling and spread, causing the building to fill with smoke. The fire died out on its own, but there were still hot spots when we arrived."
Many went online to express their sadness about the animals' deaths.
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