A fire at “The Jungle Box,” a soft play centre in Buntingford, Hertfordshire, kills most of the animals kept on site, according to reports. The centre, described as housing a range of species including meerkats, a large snake, owls, iguanas and genets, is owned by Jade and Paul Webster. Reports state that all but one of the animals died in the blaze.
Multiple outlets describe the animal collection as operating in an unlicensed or unauthorized manner, though the reports cited focus primarily on the outcome of the fire and the centre’s ownership. One account also says the couple’s tanning salon was damaged by a fire two years earlier, and that detail is presented alongside the current incident.
The articles do not consistently provide information on when the fire occurred, the cause, or the status of any investigation. They also do not detail whether emergency services or regulators have commented publicly on licensing or animal welfare. The reporting centers on the damage to the premises and the deaths of the animals after the fire.
