Chester zoo evacuating visitors & animals as fire spreading. Hope all animals & staff are safe

Awful. Sounds like its getting worse too. More fire engines arriving. What a nightmare with all the straw and stuff about . One report says its the indoor part where the Orangs are kept. Hope theyve got everything out. Wish it would pour down to help - could do without the high winds no doubt too.

Edit - tv news says its not getting worse, its getting under control , so that sounds better, but animals still being evacuated

Yes its Monsoon Forest ,orangs,crocs etc. The weather isnt helping. All animals in Monsoon Forest have been evacuated. Fingers crossed for happy outcome . Frightening for all concerned

Ah hope the animals ARE out. BBC news 24 just now didnt seem sure.

I wonder with such a massive space having to be evacuated for animals with such specific temperature needs , where the heck they can put them this weather . They would need lots of seperate spaces.

Its on Sky news in a minute

how the heck do you evacuate crocodiles or even orangutans?

Very carefully Fish I would think.. Im sure this is the sort of emergency thats already been rehearsed many times. Crates etc ready & unused quarters reopened .Definitely a nightmare situation for the staff though.

BBC update 19 mins ago. All animals are accounted for but the word 'safe' has not been used.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-46579083

A massive well done to all the staff and emergency services involved.

one member of staff was heard shouting to the crocodiles "get out of here and make it snappy"

Agreed Dilly , they must have had a horrible time and really upsetting too if their particular animals were damaged. The Daily Post last report said staff and vets will be working through the night , so obviously not all the animals got out unscathed . Very sad.

Upsetting to hear this , I love Chester Zoo and the programme on tv. All those keepers seem so dedicated and caring as Venice said must have been horrible for them. Hope the injuries are not too bad and the zoo can pick itself up again, sure they will. I think it does a great job for conservation and the animals are looked after extremely well. One blessing us it happened in a day like today when should imagine there weren't many people visiting it and maybe the heavy rain helped. Sad right on Christmas as well . Think they said the roof was inflatable so that would have burnt very quickly , ye sounds like everyone involved did a Stirling job.

All mammals were safe,they haven't made a statement on birds, insects etc.

They have accounted for all the mammals . 'accounted for ' . Still trying to account for certain other species --I suppose ones underwater etc may not easily be seen or caught for removal . Shame the weather is on the turn for more extreme cold . Probably more news tomorrow as to where everything spent the night or went to. I guess some will just have to take their chances tonight in their outside runs.