OVER 200 exotic animals have died after a devastating fire ripped through a zoo in Crimea.
Crocodiles, snakes, meerkats, monkeys and rare birds are among the animals killed when the horror blaze spread across the five-storey zoo in Yevpatoria.
Russian Ministry of Emergency SituationsOver 200 exotic animals have died in a terrifying fire in Crimea[/caption]
Russian Ministry of Emergency SituationsFirefighters battling to put the fire out at the exotic zoo[/caption]
Russian Ministry of Emergency SituationsAnimals hide from the flames in their enclosures[/caption]
The fire started at about 3am local time and was only fully put out at 7am, said the Russian Regional Investigation Department.
The destruction covered an area of 625sqm causing firefighters to struggle to rescue any animals as the enclosures quickly burnt to the ground.
It is believed that the high number of flammable objects, such as hay, inside the zoo grounds meant the fire was trickier to put out than expected.
Twenty people and six pieces of fire equipment were needed to extinguish the fire, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (RMES) reported.
A representative of the emergency services said: “More than 200 zoo inhabitants died.
“The bears, whose enclosure was on the first floor, and several other animals were rescued.”
Brave employees of the RMES were only able to rescue two bears.
A woman was also found unresponsive in a room as it filled with smoke, say the Russian Federation State Emergency Situations Directorate.
She is believed to be in a stable condition and is with medics.
It is unsure how the fire started and investigations are ongoing.
The zoo is known as “Tropic Park” by locals for its range of exotic animals.
It sits at the centre of the resort complex of Yevpatoria and is located in an abandoned kids amusement park on Tokarev Street in the area.
The ground floor is made up of various animals such as crocodiles, lemurs, monkeys, parrots, pythons, turtles, pigs, and hamsters.
Reptiles and arachnids took up the second floor with the third full of colourful and energetic birds.
As even more primates and other mammals take up the top two floors.
The zoo used to be a popular destination for locals who would get a chance to feed the wide range of animals.
Russian Ministry of Emergency SituationsThe flames ripped through the five-storey zoo for over four hours[/caption]
Russian Ministry of Emergency SituationsTwo bears were miraculously saved by workers[/caption]