EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) -- A lightning strike might have started a fire at the city's zoo that killed three monkeys and a bird, officials said.
The Mesker Park Zoo was closed Monday after the fire about 11 p.m. Sunday in the zoo's Discovery Center, which houses monkeys, snakes, birds and other animals.
The cause of the fire was not immediately determined, but officials believed the building might have been hit by lightning.
Fire crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire, but the animals apparently died of smoke inhalation.
Firefighters faced a difficult situation as they are not trained in handling such animals, said Allen Bittner, a district fire chief.
``When there is high heat and smoke, I'm sure the animal is no different than a human would be,'' he said. ``They are wanting to get away from it as fast as they can. You go in and open a cage up you are going to have a serious situation on you hands, especially when there are snakes in there, different type of monkeys and everything like that.''
