A baby tortoise has been discovered alive following a devastating fire at a children's soft play centre and mini zoo in Hertfordshire, becoming the sole survivor among the animals housed there.
Fire at The Jungle Box
The blaze broke out at The Jungle Box on the Watermill Industrial Estate in Buntingford, Hertfordshire, at around 3am on June 10. Ten fire engines were called to the scene, where the facility housed meerkats, owls, iguanas, giant tortoises and a 16ft snake.
Initially, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service feared all animals had perished. However, during the fire investigation, crews found a baby tortoise alive. Sharing a photo of the tiny survivor on Facebook, the service wrote: 'We have some heartwarming news to share following yesterday’s devastating fire at the Jungle Box in Buntingford. While carrying out the fire investigation, we incredibly discovered a baby tortoise alive in the aftermath, despite earlier fears that all the animals had died. A small but powerful moment after a very difficult incident.'
Ongoing Investigation
Investigations into the cause of the fire are still ongoing. Black smoke was seen billowing from the building, prompting local residents to keep windows and doors closed. Road closures were put in place on Aspenden Road and London Road.
A neighbouring business, The Spud Twins, expressed their sadness in a heartfelt social media post: 'Absolutely devastated for our friends over at the jungle box soft play. If anyone has a visit booked or a party – you will be contacted in due course.'
