A truck carrying circus animals burst into flames on an Indiana highway early Saturday, freeing camels, zebras and a horse to run wild down the sidewalk.
Cops scrambled to catch the camels, who were seen in incredible footage trotting down Interstate 69 as smoke from the trailer billowed in the background.
Unfazed by the chaos, five zebras were seen munching on nearby grass as red lights and emergency vehicle sirens blared in the background.
Ten circus animals were rescued after their truck burst into flames while in transit. Grant County Sheriff’s Office – Marion, IN/Facebook
The trailer, loaded with animals, caught fire around 2 a.m. on Interstate 69 in Grant County, about 60 miles northeast of Indianapolis.
Fortunately, two police officers patrolling the area saw the inferno and rushed to escort the animals to safety, according to state police.
“It’s not something we see every day,” said Deputy Brent Ressett with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.
Zebras were seen chewing the grass next to the road. Grant County Sheriff’s Office – Marion, IN/Facebook
It took officials approximately four hours to extinguish the fire and reopen the road and, more importantly, corral the animals.
The zebras and camels were eager to eat a quick roadside meal while firefighters battled the blaze. The unique miniature horse didn’t stray far either, making all the furry actors easily explained after the terrifying inferno.
The truck was destroyed in the fire, the origin of which firefighters attributed to equipment failure.
Authorities determined the cause of the fire was attributed to an equipment failure. Grant County Sheriff’s Office – Marion, IN/Facebook
None of the ten animals nor their 57-year-old driver were injured in the accident.
The two officers who rushed into the smoking trailer to rescue the circus animals were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation but were later released.
Police penned the camels, zebras and horses between makeshift barriers until other Shrine Circus trucks arrived.
None of the furry animals were hurt in the inferno. Grant County Sheriff’s Office – Marion, IN/Facebook
The truck was carrying the animals from Florida to Fort Wayne for a four-weekend circus performance in northeast Indiana to benefit the Mizpah Shrine Circus, said Steve Trump, its circus director.
He said the performances are an annual fundraiser for the Mizpah Shrine Circus to help pay for the upkeep of the Shrine Center in Fort Wayne and “allow us to use our other fundraisers for what we are best known for: taking care of children.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn