FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Two giraffes died Monday after a barn caught fire at a zoo in Reston, Virginia.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue responded sometime before 6 p.m. and saw fire coming from the roof and both floors of the two-story barn at Roer’s Zoofari.
At 7:25 p.m., the fire department said via Twitter that two giraffes were found dead inside the barn. No other animals were hurt during the fire, and all are in the care of the zoo staff.
One of the giraffes was 6-year-old Waffles, which came to the zoo in 2016, zoo owner Vanessa Stoffel told The Washington Post.
“Tonight the Roer’s Zoofari staff and family are devastated following a barn fire that claimed the life of our beloved giraffe, ‘Waffles’ and his new giraffe companion yet to be named,” the zoo said on Facebook.
The zoo said grief counselors were available for staff members, “who are devastated by this tragedy and who cared deeply for these members of the Zoofari family.”
The zoo will be closed until further notice.
