african safari port clinton oh fire

10 animals killed in fire at northern Ohio wildlife park

Ten animals died in a fire Thursday night at a wildlife park in northern Ohio, the park's owner said.

Holly Hunt, the owner of African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton, in Ottawa County along Lake Erie, said three bongos, three giraffes, three red river hogs and a springbok were killed in the fire in a barn used for overnight care and security. Bongos and springboks are species of antelope.

A zebra that was housed in an overhang outside the barn was saved, said Hunt, but all of the park's 300 others animals, including deer, bison, elk, llamas, giraffes and alpacas, were safe. The park was closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, and no human injuries were reported.

A giraffe widely seen fleeing the fire on social media hadn't been in the barn, Hunt said. It was freed to escape the flames and ran into a pond, from which animal keepers and doctors were able to direct it to safety, she said.

"It's just gut-wrenching that this should happen," she said. "Our team works so hard every day to care for these animals."

Rick Ramos, a safety officer for the Port Clinton Fire Department, said that the fire was reported at 6:18 p.m. and that the barn was already fully engulfed when crews arrived about five minutes later.

The fire was still burning late Thursday but was under control, he said. No cause had been determined, he said. Several fire departments remained on the scene late in the evening, and investigators from the state fire marshal's office were scheduled to arrive in the morning.

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Danbury Township police Officer Carolyn DeMore, one of the first responders on the scene, said that after she arrived, she heard two explosions from inside the barn. Ramos said the explosions likely were caused by propane tanks stored in the barn.

Hunt said that she had owned the park, which opened in 1969, since 1974.

"We are devastated by this loss of the animals we care for every day," she said, appearing to choke back tears. "The team is just devastated."

Nearly a dozen animals housed in barn at African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton perish in fire

PORT CLINTON, Ohio — The African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton is mourning the loss of animals it housed in a barn that caught fire Thanksgiving evening.

Firefighters from Danbury Township, Catawba Island and Port Clinton all responded to the blaze.

According to authorities, 10 animals died in the fire. They are: three bongo antelope, three giraffes, three red river hogs and one springbok antelope. A zebra managed to escape the fire.

Park officials and investigators from the State Fire Marshal's Office held a news conference to provide an update on the fire. Authorities said they have no indication the fire was caused by any sort of criminal activity.

You can watch the news conference in the player blow.

"We are devastated by this loss," said Holly Hunt, co-owner of the park. "These are animals we care for every day and our team is just devastated."

A giraffe that can be seen galloping around in front of the fire in several videos and photos was in another nearby barn that did not catch fire.

"They let him out of that barn so he would be free in case that barn were to catch on fire and that animal is contained in the park right now," Hunt said.

The animals were inside the heated barn when the fire started, authorities said. The barn where the animals were housed also contained propane tanks. Crews on scene heard explosions and fire officials said the sound was likely from propane tanks, but they are still investigating.

The barn was built in the 1980s and did not have a fire suppression system. It did, however, have remote sensors for temperature control, Hunt said.

The following animals were killed in the fire, according to Hunt:

• Waylon- a 3-year-old giraffe
• Quinn- a 1.5-year-old giraffe
• Beltry- a 2.5 year-old giraffe which arrived earlier this week
• Chip- a spring buck which resided on the property since 2015
• Diesel- a bongo which resided on the property since 2010
• Benty- a 5-year-old female bongo expected to give birth this spring
• Tank - a 15-year-old bongo and staff favorite
• Three red river hogs: Merlin, male hog which has resided on the property since 2012 and his two unnamed sisters who arrived earlier this week

On Thursday night, park officials took to Facebook to talk about the loss.

"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," park officials said.

The park, which opened in 1969, was taken over by the Hunt family in 1974. Today, Holly Hunt and her father Brian run the park.

Holly Hunt called the incident a devastating loss. "It's gut-wrenching that this could happen," she said.

Grief counseling will be provided for staff members who are grieving the death of the park's animals.

AirTracker 5 flew over the park Friday morning to survey the aftermath of the fire:

African Safari Wildlife Park is located at 267 S. Lightner Rd. in Port Clinton. It houses over 300 other animals, including deer, bison, elk, llamas, alpacas, camels and zebra, Hunt said.

The park is closed on Friday. It was scheduled to close for the season Sunday.

Before re-opening next spring, the staff is considering dedicating a plaque in remembrance of the animals killed.

Below are images of the types of animals that were killed in the fire - these are not images of the animals themselves:

An inspection report filed in June showed the park was in good standing with the United States Department of Agriculture.

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'devastated by the loss': 10 animals killed in fire at african safari wildlife park.

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Ten animals were killed when a fire broke out Thursday at the African Safari Wildlife Park in northern Ohio, Danbury Township police said.

Firefighters were called to the Port Clinton park at 6:15 p.m. after reports of a fire at a barn housing animals, the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office and park officials said.

Three giraffes, three red river hogs , three bongos and a springbok had been inside the barn before the fire, Officer Carolyn DeMore with the Danbury Township Police told reporters. A bongo is a large forest antelope and the springbok is a medium-sized, gazelle-like antelope.

Holly Hunt, the co-owner of park, told CNN there are 300 other animals in the park and all have been accounted for.

"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," park officials said in a statement posted on Facebook.

Hunt said a caretaker initially spotted the fire Thursday following a power flicker in the property. She said the facility had briefly lost power on Wednesday.

Some of the park's animals are usually housed in the heated barn during this time of the year.

The fire was not fully contained Thursday night and firefighters were expected to continue battling the blaze overnight, Danbury Township Fire Chief Keith Kahler said.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The Ohio State Fire Marshal will arrive at the park Friday to investigate the blaze, Kahler said.

Firefighters found propane tanks stored inside the barn, Kahler said.

A video recorded by a bystander shows two giraffes running away from the flames as smoke pours from the barn. DeMore said first responders found at least one giraffe at a nearby pond.

Visitors to the 100-acre drive-thru park can feed several animals on their drive, including giraffes, zebras and bison, according to the park's website.

The park was closed for Thanksgiving. It will remain closed Friday as authorities investigate the incident and the staff mourns the loss.

The African Safari Wildlife Park was established in 1969. It's located about 37 miles southeast of Toledo, Ohio.

Watch CBS News

At Least 10 Animals Killed In Devastating Fire At Ohio Wildlife Park

November 29, 2019 / 6:43 AM EST / CBS Pittsburgh

PORT CLINTON, Ohio (AP) - Officials in Ohio say at least 10 animals have been killed in a barn fire at a wildlife park.

The blaze began about 6:15 p.m. Thursday at the African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton.

Fire officials say three bongos, three giraffes, three red river hogs and a springbok housed in the barn were thought to be dead. Springboks and bongos are types of antelope.

The Toledo Blade reports officials captured a loose zebra and a giraffe that escaped.

Our African Safari Wildlife Park team is devastated by the loss of animals housed in a barn destroyed by fire that was... Posted by African Safari Wildlife Park on  Thursday, November 28, 2019

The cause of the fire is under investigation. No humans were injured.

African Safari Wildlife Park officials posted on Facebook that they were "devastated by the loss of animals."

The park is a drive-thru wildlife park, in which visitors can watch and feed animals on the 100-acre (405,000-sq. meter) property.

(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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3 giraffes among 10 animals to perish in fire at African Safari Wildlife Park

Fire at wildlife park (WTOL.COM)

PORT CLINTON, Ohio — UPDATE @ 10:06 p.m.:  As many as 10 animals, including three giraffes, perished in the fire at the African Safari Wildlife Park in northern Ohio.

Danbury Twp. Police Officer Carolyn Demore told cleveland19.com there were two explosions in a barn where the fire broke out. According to Demore, the general manager/animal keeper was on the premises when the flames started.

Demore confirmed three bongos, three giraffes, three red river hogs and one springbok were in the barn when it caught fire and are assumed dead.

WTOL.com is reporting that at a news conference, Demore said the park's general manager was on the property at the time of fire and believes that he lives on the property.

There were no injuries reported.

The park was not open during the time of fire.

The Danbury Twp. Fire Department is leading the investigation and is being assisted by the Port Clinton and Catawba Twp. fire departments.

UPDATE @ 8:50 p.m.:

An unknown number of animals have perished in the fire at the African Safari Wildlife Park in northern Ohio.

Park officials said the 100-acre drive-through facility, where patrons can feed animals from their vehicles, will be closed Friday.

The park's team, in a Facebook post, said it is devastated by the loss of animals housed in a barn destroyed by the fire:

Our African Safari Wildlife Park team is devastated by the loss of animals housed in a barn destroyed by fire that was... Posted by African Safari Wildlife Park on  Thursday, November 28, 2019

Park officials said they are continuing to assess the loss of wildlife housed in the barn for overnight care and security.

"Park staff members are on the scene with firefighters and official responders. An investigation is underway into the cause of the fire.

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 Park.

We deeply appreciate the first responders who worked on the holiday to try and save animals affected by the fire and thank the community for its support during this very difficult time."

INITIAL REPORT

Crews are battling a fire at the African Safari Wildlife Park in northern Ohio where there are unconfirmed reports that animals were inside the building that has gone up in flames.

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The fire at the park in Port Clinton, Ottawa County, was reported just after 6 p.m., according to media reports from several sources, including WTOL.com, a CBS affiliate.

The news station is reporting that police armed with assault-like guns were positioned to shoot in case animals run away.

Ottawa County Sheriff Stephen Levorchick told WTOL 11 multiple departments are fighting the fire.

News Center 7 will update this developing report as we learn more.

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Giraffes among 10 animals killed in 'tragic' Ohio safari wildlife park fire

DANBURY TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Ten animals were killed on Thanksgiving evening in a barn fire at an Ohio wildfire park, officials said.

Three giraffes, three red river hogs, three bongos and a springbok where listed as the animals who died, according to Holly Hunt, a co-owner of African Safari Wildlife Park.

Bongos are a large antelope species, while a springbok is a medium-size antelope.

"Our African Safari Wildlife Park team is devastated by the loss of animals housed in a barn destroyed by fire that was discovered early Thanksgiving evening," the Facebook post said. "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."

Due to the fire, the safari will be closed Friday as staff mourn the loss of the wildlife.

The company said in its Facebook post that officials are still assessing the damage, but reported the fire occurred in a barn used for overnight care and security for the animals.

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A cause of the fire has not been determined. The social media post said an investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the fire.

Dispatchers from the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office told the News Herald Thursday the fire was reported by citizens and that Danbury Township Fire Department, Port Clinton Fire Department and Catawba Fire provided mutual aid.

The park features a total of more than 50 species of animals during the summer.

The amusement park offers drive an drive-through tours of the safari with animals such as giraffes, elk, camels and zebras, with walk-through tours and educational feedings of animals such as porcupine, kangaroo, tortoise, and gibbons.

In its 51st season, the safari park has rare creatures such as white bison and albino alligators.

Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the park features a total of more than 50 species of animals during the summer.

An estimated 150,000 people come to the 100-acre park annually, making it one of the largest attractions in the area, according to park officials.

African Safari Wildlife Park had been planning a special discount admission for Black Friday and was scheduled to close for the season on Sunday.

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Investigators say cause of deadly fire at African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton is “undetermined”

PORT CLINTON, Ohio (WOIO) - Investigators with the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Fire and Explosion Bureau announced Wednesday the cause of the fire at the African Safari Wildlife Park is “undetermined", due to the extensive damage to the barn.

Investigators added there is no indication of criminal activity and they could not determine if a power outage the day before had anything to do with the fire.

A total of 10 animals were in the barn that caught fire at 6:16 p.m. on Nov. 28.

Three giraffes, three red river hogs, three bongos and a springbok were killed.

No other animals in the park were harmed.

“The post-fire condition of the building prevented the ability to determine an exact cause of the fire,” said Investigator Frank Reitmeier. “During the fire, the vast majority of the building collapsed, so heavy equipment was needed during fire suppression and to locate the remains of the animals that perished.”

African Safari Wildlife Park posted this devastating statement on Facebook about two hours after the fire broke out:

"Our African Safari Wildlife Park team is devastated by the loss of animals housed in a barn destroyed by fire that was discovered early Thanksgiving evening. 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.

We are still assessing the loss of wildlife that was housed in the barn for over-night care and security.

Park staff members are on the scene with firefighters and official responders. An investigation is underway into the cause of the fire.

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 Park.

We deeply appreciate the first responders who worked on the holiday to try and save animals affected by the fire and thank the community for its support during this very difficult time.

Again, we are grateful that our staff are safe, although we are all grief-stricken over this loss."

The African Safari Wildlife Park’s website said the park is home to alpaca, bactrian camel, bison, bongo, elk, fallow deer, giraffe, guanaco, llama, red river hog, Scottish highlander, sika deer, sulcata tortoise, warthog, white alligator, white bison, white-handed gibbons, and zebra.

Barn housing animals at African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton goes up in flames on Thanksgiving The African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton is mourning the loss of 10 animals after their barn went up in flames on Thanksgiving night. https://bit.ly/2OUwWtd Posted by Cleveland 19 News on Thursday, November 28, 2019

An African Safari Wildlife Park official said the park will remain closed through the winter.

Copyright 2019 WOIO. All rights reserved.

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Investigation into barn fire at African Safari Wildlife Park complete

by Jarrod Clay

PORT CLINTON, Ohio — The Division of State Fire Marshal’s Fire and Explosion Investigation Bureau has completed its investigation into a barn fire that killed 10 animals at the African Wildlife Park in Port Clinton in Ottawa County.

Investigators have determined the fire started in the southwest portion of a barn that housed three giraffes, three red river hogs, three bongos and a springbok. All of the animals in the barn were killed.

The cause of the fire was ruled undetermined due to the extensive damage to the barn, according to a news release from the Ohio Department of Commerce. The release said there is no indication of any criminal activity associated with the fire and investigators could not determine if a reported power outage in the area the day before the fire had any involvement with causing the fire.

“The post-fire condition of the building prevented the ability to determine an exact cause of the fire,” said Investigator Frank Reitmeier. “During the fire, the vast majority of the building collapsed, so heavy equipment was needed during fire suppression and to locate the remains of the animals that perished.”

No other animals in the park were harmed during the fire.

Capybaras to be featured in new African Safari Wildlife Park walk-through exhibit

• Published: May. 17, 2024, 4:08 p.m.

The African Wildlife Safari Park in Port Clinton is adding capybaras to its animal crew this summer. African Wildlife Safari Park

• Alex Darus, cleveland.com

PORT CLINTON, Ohio — The African Safari Wildlife Park has added capybaras to its walk-thru safari for the upcoming summer season.

The animals, which are the largest rodents in the world, are native to South American wetlands and are related to guinea pigs. The unusual animal has become a fan favorite on TikTok , with several capybara videos raking in millions of views on the app.

The safari park has a 1,500 sq. ft. habitat for the capybara crew, complete with a pool, waterfall and plenty of shade. The capybaras are set to arrive in Port Clinton in late May, with plans to introduce the encounter excursion to guests in mid-June.

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The add-on capybara encounter will allow visitors to pet, feed and learn about the animals close up.

“Capybaras have become very popular over the past few years, and our guests have told us over and over that they want to see Capybaras at the Park,” African Safari Wildlife Park director Kelsey Keller said in a press release. “It wasn’t something we wanted to rush into. We put a lot of time, energy and research into designing and building the perfect home for these animals and making sure this habitat functions as a learning opportunity for our guests.”

The African Safari Wildlife Park will charge $15 per guest for a 10-minute experience with the animals. Closed-toe shoes are required and children under 3 are not permitted to participate in the add-on excursion. The capybara experience is not included in the general admission ticket.

Other exotic animals included in the walk-through safari are the African warthog, an American alligator and a white-handed gibbon. General admission tickets range from $20 to $33 depending on the season, with discounts for seniors, children, military personnel and first responders, and include access to the drive-thru and walk-thru safari experiences.

Ohio Safari Park, African Safari Wildlife Park, is at 267 S. Lightner Road in Port Clinton. More information is available at africansafariwildlifepark.com/safari/animal-encounters/capybara-encounter/

Alex Darus writes about food, dining and drinking for Cleveland.com, check out her latest posts here . You can reach her with story ideas at [email protected] . Follow her on Instagram @alex_darus.

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Local News | African Safari Wildlife Park to introduce…

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Local News | African Safari Wildlife Park to introduce capybaras, launch interactive experience

Capybaras, which are the world’s largest rodents, are found in wetlands throughout much of South America.

They are closely related to guinea pigs, and many individual capybaras are remarked on for their “chill” personalities, according to the release.

While capybaras are not threatened with extinction, they serve as ambassadors for vulnerable freshwater ecosystems around the world, the release said.

“Capybaras have become very popular over the past few years, and our guests have told us over and over that they want to see Capybaras at the Park,” said Park director Kelsey Keller in the release. “It wasn’t something we wanted to rush into.

“We put a lot of time, energy and research into designing and building the perfect home for these animals and making sure this habitat functions as a learning opportunity for our guests.”

The capybaras’ habitat is approximately 1,500 square feet in size and is outfitted with naturalistic features such as a large pool, a waterfall and ample shade.

The Park’s construction team is putting the finishing touches on this space ahead of the animals’ arrival in late May.

Also, the Park will introduce a capybara encounter in mid-June.

Guests participating in this interactive experience will have the opportunity to feed, touch and learn about the capybaras, the release said.

As with all of the Park’s animal experiences, this encounter is contingent upon weather and the animals’ voluntary participation.

Advanced bookings can be made at www.africansafariwildlifepark.com/safari/animal-encounters .

“There’s definitely a ‘cool factor’ to getting up close and personal with a capybara, but this is first and foremost an educational opportunity for our guests,” Keller said. “We want to make sure they walk away with an appreciation for Capybaras and other animals that depend on lakes and rivers to survive.”

For more information, visit www.AfricanSafariWildlifePark.com .

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African Safari Wildlife Park welcoming new animals to walk-through exhibit

**Related Video Above: Critically endangered animals born at African Safari Wildlife Park last summer.**

PORT CLINTON, Ohio (WJW) – The African Safari Wildlife Park is introducing some new animals for guests to see up-close this summer.

Capybaras, known as the world’s largest rodents, are joining the park’s Walk-Thru Safari. According to park officials, their 1,500 square foot habitat, complete with a large pool and waterfall, should be complete in late May.

“Capybaras have become very popular over the past few years, and our guests have told us over and over that they want to see capybaras at the park,” said director Kelsey Keller in a press release. “It wasn’t something we wanted to rush into. We put a lot of time, energy and research into designing and building the perfect home for these animals and making sure this habitat functions as a learning opportunity for our guests.”

Guests will also be able to feed and pet the capybaras in an interactive encounter starting in mid-June.

All animal encounters at the park are subject to change based on weather conditions and how the animals are feeling that day. Guests can book encounters here.

According to park officials, capybaras are closely related to Guinea Pigs and are popular for having pretty “chill” personalities.

Capybaras have a “stable” conservation status, according to the San Diego Zoo.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.