Visitors evacuated as fire breaks out at Chester Zoo

Visitors have been evacuated from Chester Zoo, where a huge fire has broken out.

In a Facebook post, the zoo, which has now been closed, confirmed: "The zoo's animal teams are working to move all animals away from the incident."

Footage online shows huge plumes of smoke coming from the top of a building.

The zoo said the fire brigade are attending the fire which has broken out at the Monsoon Forest habitat.

It is the largest indoor zoo exhibit in UK history, according to Chester Zoo, and is home to tropical animals and plants.

Crocodiles, monkeys and exotic birds are among the animals housed in the exhibit.

One woman, who was at the zoo during the evacuation, told Sky News: "We were inside the building when we heard the alarm go off and we were told to go outside. Everyone was really calm.

"We had to evacuate and watched the orangutans come out of the building. I think it was a mum, dad and two baby orangutans. Two of them were holding their blankets.

"Then we watched the building go up in smoke."

She added: "There were other animals in there; some flightless birds, frogs, ladybirds and a crocodile."

She said a member of staff had suggested the an electrical fault had staretd the blaze.

Chester Zoo is home to 21,000 animals.

Last year, five animals died in a blaze which had to be tackled by 72 firefighters at London Zoo.

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