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An emergency vehicle of the fire brigade at the tropical house of the Cologne Zoo
Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd / dpa
A fire broke out in the Cologne Zoo.
Local residents reported smoke over the zoo around 6:20 p.m., said a spokeswoman for the fire brigade.
According to initial information, there was a fire in the basement of the tropical house, food probably caught fire.
The animals should be protected with smoke extraction measures.
More than 50 emergency services are on site.
A spokesman for the Cologne Zoo initially did not want to comment on the fire and possible consequences.
However, the Cologne Zoo was already closed when the fire brigade received the alarm.
"The extinguishing work is progressing," said the fire department spokeswoman about an hour after the alarm.
There are still some fires.
It is not yet clear whether animals were injured.
No one was affected by the fire, the spokeswoman said.
The extinguishing work continued an hour and a half after the alarm was received.
Several fire engines from the Cologne fire brigade were deployed to the zoo.
The head of the Cologne fire brigade, Christian Miller, told RTL that the first emergency services saw smoke in the basement of the tropical house.
The source of the fire is probably there.
The animals were therefore in a smoke-free area.
hba/dpa
