Animals killed after devastating fire at jungle-themed soft play centre

A devastating fire has killed all of the exotic animals housed at The Jungle Box, a jungle-themed soft play centre located on the Watermill Industrial Estate in Buntingford, Hertfordshire.

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service responded to the blaze at approximately 3:20am, discovering that none of the small creatures inside had survived.

The venue, which welcomed its first visitors in June of last year, had recently launched an exotic pets section featuring meerkats, snakes, tortoises, iguanas, owls and genets.

The fire service confirmed that no humans were harmed, as the premises were unoccupied when flames broke out.

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At the height of the incident, firefighters deployed 10 engines alongside an aerial ladder platform to tackle the blaze.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Darren Cook said: "Crews worked hard to contain the fire and prevent it spreading to neighbouring units.

"I'd like to thank all crews for their professionalism and hard work, and fire control colleagues for their calm and efficient handling of the calls.

"Sadly, we can confirm that a number of animals were inside the building at the time of the fire and did not survive."

Thick clouds of smoke rose from the scene, prompting authorities to advise nearby residents to shut their windows and doors.

Authorities implemented road closures along Aspenden Road and London Road as emergency services worked at the scene.

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The soft play centre, which had become a popular family destination since opening last summer, saw its exotic pets area destroyed just months after it was introduced to visitors.

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has launched an investigation to determine what sparked the blaze in the early hours of the morning.

The cause remains unknown whilst enquiries continue.

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