Circus Animals Rescued From Burning Truck On Midwestern Highway

On Saturday, a truck bringing circus animals to a fundraising performance for the Mizpah Shrine Circus in Fort Wayne, Indiana suddenly found itself engulfed in fire along I-69 in Northeast Indiana.

Unlike several unfortunate stories from the past involving fires and circus animals, this one ended happily because all of the animals, and the humans who came to their rescue (with the exception of some smoke inhalation suffered by two officers at the scene), are going to be just fine.

Big Thumbs-Up To Everyone Involved In Saving The Circus Animals And Extinguishing The Truck Fire, Especially Because Events Like This In The Past Didn't End Quite As Happily

Without getting into too much detail, back in 1942, over 100 circus animals died in a Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus menagerie tent fire in Cleveland. Then, in 1944, 167 people died and over 700 were injured in the Hartford Circus Fire.

Luckily, in the scenario that unfolded Saturday in Indiana, quick thinking and quick actions saved the day for everyone involved.

Of All The Times To Have A Vehicle Catch On Fire, I've Got To Think That 2:00 In The Morning Has Got To Be Close To Being The Worst Time, Because So Few People Are On The Road To Help You

In this particular case, there weren't a lot of people around to lend a hand, but luckily, the people who were there got the job done.

Associated Press (AP):

The tractor-trailer caught fire about 2 a.m. along Interstate 69 in Grant County and a state trooper, a Grant County Sheriff’s deputy and a third person rescued the five zebras, four camels and a miniature horse by leading them off the smoked-filled trailer, said Sgt. Steven Glass with Indiana State Police.

Both officers were treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation and later released, but none the animals were injured, he said. The truck driver, a 57-year-old Sarasota, Florida, man, was not injured.