Every animal at a beloved children’s mini zoo in Hertfordshire has been killed after a devastating fire tore through the soft play centre that housed them in the early hours of Wednesday morning, leaving staff and the local community devastated.
The blaze at The Jungle Box on the Watermill Industrial Estate in Buntingford broke out at around 3am, with ten fire engines rushing to the scene as flames engulfed the building and thick black smoke billowed into the night sky. Residents nearby were urged to keep their windows and doors closed. No people were injured.
Among the animals that perished were meerkats, owls, iguanas, giant tortoises and a 16-foot snake — a collection of exotic creatures that had made the attraction one of the most popular family destinations in the area since it opened last June. Despite the efforts of firefighters, none of the animals trapped inside survived.
Darren Cook, assistant chief fire officer at Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said crews had worked hard to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to neighbouring units on the industrial estate. “We can confirm that a number of animals were inside the building at the time of the fire and did not survive,” he said, paying tribute to the professionalism of firefighters and control staff who handled the emergency.
The Jungle Box, which combined a children’s soft play centre with a mini zoo and petting corner, had quickly established itself as a popular destination for families in Hertfordshire since opening less than a year ago. The cause of the fire remains unknown and an investigation is now under way.
