Chimpanzees and monkeys among dozens of animals killed in New Year’s Day fire at German zoo

Police believe blaze may have been started by sky lanterns set off for new year

Police and firefighters responded to reports of a fire at the zoo’s monkey house shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day (AP)

Dozens of animals have been killed after a fire ripped through the monkey house at a German zoo in the early hours of New Year’s Day, authorities have said.

Chimpanzees, orangutans and gorillas were among the animals who died at Krefeld Zoo in western Germany.

Only two chimpanzees, named Bally and Limbo, could be rescued from the blaze by firefighters, the zoo said.

Police have said the fire may have been caused by sky lanterns launched to celebrate the new year as several witnesses reported seeing cylindrical paper lanterns – with little fires inside – flying shortly after midnight near the zoo.

“People reported seeing those sky lanterns flying at low altitude near the zoo and then it started burning,” Gerd Hoppmann, Krefeld city’s head of criminal police, said.

More than 30 animals were killed, including five orangutans, two gorillas, a chimpanzee and several monkeys, and an entire ape house burned down in the fire, according to the zoo.

Police and firefighters have said they received their first emergency calls at 12.38am local time.

The two chimpanzees who survived the blaze suffered burns but are in a stable condition, zoo director Wolfgang Dressen said.

“It’s close to a miracle that Bally, a 40-year-old female chimpanzee, and Limbo, a younger male, survived this inferno,” Mr Dressen said.

He added that the incident was an “unfathomable tragedy” and the zoo’s staff will have to “seriously work through the mourning process”.

Mr Dressen also said that many of the animals who died were close to extinction in the wild.

However, Krefeld Zoo said the “Gorilla Garden” near the ape house did not go up in flames and the animals who live there have survived.

Mr Hoppmann noted that the use of sky lanterns is illegal in Krefeld and has asked for the people who launched them or any witnesses to come forward to the police.

He added that investigators found some used lanterns on the ground which had not burned entirely.

It is illegal to launch sky lanterns in most German states and in states where it is legal, advance permission is usually required from local authorities.

Additional reporting by AP