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  "path": "/news/hertfordshire-news-baby-tortoise-survive-fire-zoo-soft-play-centre",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-12T21:30:02.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "probe into the fire that tore through The Jungle Box",
    "Animals killed after devastating fire at jungle-themed soft play centre",
    "Veteran fisherman wrestles great white shark on beach in shocking video",
    "Holidaymaker brutally punches seagull after snatching his Cornish pasty",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nFirefighters investigating a devastating blaze at a zoo and soft play centre have discovered a baby tortoise that somehow survived the inferno.\n\nThe tortoise was found alive during the ongoing probe into the fire that tore through The Jungle Box, on the Watermill Industrial Estate in Buntingford, Hertfordshire, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nInitial fears were that every animal housed within the building had perished in the fire, with meerkats, owls, iguanas, giant tortoises and a 16-foot snake among the creatures that tragically did not survive.\n\nHertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service shared the more uplifting news of the reptile's survival on Facebook earlier today.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe service wrote: \"While carrying out the fire investigation, we incredibly discovered a baby tortoise alive in the aftermath, despite earlier fears that all the animals had died.\"\n\nThey described it as \"a small but powerful moment after a very difficult incident\".\n\nThe post prompted an outpouring of relief from the public, with one commenting: \"This little guy is so lucky!\"\n\nAnother wrote: \"Such wonderful news after a horrific event.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nEmergency services received reports of the incident at 3am on Wednesday, prompting a major response to the scene.\n\nA fleet of ten fire engines along with an aerial ladder platform rushed to tackle the flames as they ripped through the building.\n\nThe venue, which welcomed its first visitors in June of last year, had recently launched an exotic pets section featuring a wide variety of critters.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n##\n\n  * Animals killed after devastating fire at jungle-themed soft play centre\n  * Veteran fisherman wrestles great white shark on beach in shocking video\n  * Holidaymaker brutally punches seagull after snatching his Cornish pasty\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nCrews focused their efforts on bringing the fire under control and stopping it from spreading to nearby units on the industrial estate.\n\nLuckily, no human casualties were reported, but the animal toll proved devastating, with investigators yet to establish what sparked the blaze amid an ongoing inquiry.\n\nAssistant Chief Fire Officer Darren Cook said: \"Crews worked hard to contain the fire and prevent it spreading to neighbouring units.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\"I'd like to thank all crews for their professionalism and hard work, and fire control colleagues for their calm and efficient handling of the calls.\n\n\"Sadly, we can confirm that a number of animals were inside the building at the time of the fire and did not survive.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Miracle as baby tortoise is ONLY animal to survive horrific fire at British zoo and soft play centre"
}