Cause of fire that killed animals at wildlife park unknown

PORT CLINTON, Ohio – The cause of a barn fire that killed 10 animals at an Ohio wildlife park remains unknown, the state fire marshal’s office said Wednesday.

The Nov. 28 blaze broke out in the southwest corner of a barn at the African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton, killing three bongos, three giraffes, three red river hogs and a springbok.

Springboks and bongos are types of antelope. Officials captured a loose zebra and a giraffe that escaped.

The cause is undetermined given extensive damage to the building, state fire officials said. It’s also unknown whether a power outage the day before was connected to the fire.

The park is a drive-thru wildlife park, in which visitors can watch and feed animals on the 100-acre (405,000-square-meter) property. According to its Facebook page, it celebrated its 50th season in 2018.

Port Clinton is on Lake Erie in northern Ohio, between Toledo and Cleveland.