Fire at German Zoo Kills Dozens of Animals in Monkey House

[defacto7]

Source: NYT

BERLIN — A fire ripped through the monkey house at a German zoo on New Year's Eve, killing roughly 30 animals inside, the zoo said on Wednesday.

Chimpanzees, orangutans, a gorilla, bats and birds were among the animals who died at Krefeld Zoo, near the Dutch border. Two chimpanzees, Bally and Limbo, survived, the zoo said.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/01/01/world/europe/01reuters-germany-zoo-fire.html

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This hurts. NPR said most were endangered species.

[secondwind]

1. How does a fire start in a monkey house? Were they smoking?

How does this even happen.......

[defacto7]

2. On NPR they said it was unknown but that the police

suspected floating new years Chinese lanterns with candles that dropped down.

[DFW]

4. That sounds possible

The Germans are big on their New Year's pyrotechincs.

Krefeld is about 25 minutes from us. We used to take our daughters there all the time.

[Eugene]

7. German zoo fire: three women hand themselves in to police - AFP

Source: Agence France Presse

German zoo fire: three women hand themselves in to police

A mother and her two daughters have turned themselves in to police over a blaze that killed dozens of animals at a zoo in Germany on New Year’s Eve, police confirmed on Thursday.

The three women are being investigated for setting off flying lanterns, which are banned, to celebrate the New Year, Gerd Hoppmann, head of the Krefeld criminal police, said at a press conference.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/02/german-zoo-fire-three-women-hand-themselves-in-to-police

[defacto7]

3. Update:

Euro News

A massive blaze at a zoo in Germany has killed more than 30 animals - including Europe's oldest gorilla, 48-year-old Massa - after tearing through the ape enclosure in the early hours of January 1.

Krefeld Zoo announced on Wednesday that five orangutans, one chimpanzee and two gorillas, as well as smaller species of monkeys and flying foxes were killed in the fire.

Investigators believe that the fire was caused by Chinese lanterns, which were spotted in the sky shortly before the blaze.

In a press conference, zoo director Wolfgang Dreßen said that two chimpanzees had "miraculously" survived with just minor injuries.

[IcyPeas]

5. oh no, those poor animals

there is so much drought around the world. i don't think these chinese lanterns are a very good idea. They are pretty but it's not worth it. Germany had some fires last year too.

[Eugene]

6. German zoo fire: three women hand themselves in to police

Source: Agence France-Presse

German zoo fire: three women hand themselves in to police

AFP in Berlin
Thu 2 Jan 2020 16.55 GMT
Last modified on Thu 2 Jan 2020 21.00 GMT

A mother and her two daughters have turned themselves in to police over a blaze that killed dozens of animals at a zoo in Germany on New Year’s Eve, police confirmed on Thursday.

The three women are being investigated for setting off flying lanterns, which are banned, to celebrate the New Year, Gerd Hoppmann, head of the Krefeld criminal police, said at a press conference.

The 60-year-old mother and her two adult daughters handed themselves in to police on Wednesday after hearing about the fire on local radio, Hoppmann said.

He said they “seemed like sensible and responsible people” who had shown courage in coming forward. Local prosecutors are now investigating the women for negligent arson, a crime that can be punished by up to five years in prison.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/02/german-zoo-fire-three-women-hand-themselves-in-to-police