
Dozens of animals including apes, monkeys, bats and birds were burnt alive after an inferno swept through the monkey enclosure at a German zoo in the first minutes of 2020.

The fire at Krefeld zoo in northwestern Germany is likely to have been caused by Chinese sky lanterns launched to celebrate the new year, said police who were called out at 12.38am.

Several witnesses reported that they had seen the cylindrical paper lanterns with little fires inside flying in the night sky shortly after midnight Wednesday near the zoo, Gerd Hoppmann, the city's head of criminal police told reporters. Three lanterns bearing hand-written New Year's wishes were later discovered in the smouldering debris.

Police launched an investigation for 'negligently criminal fire' and hope to establish the path of the lanterns by analysing atmospheric conditions and wind direction.

The zoo near the Dutch border said that the entire ape house burned down and more than 30 animals, including five orangutans, a 48-year-old silverback gorilla called Massa, a chimpanzee and several monkeys, as well as fruit bats and birds, were killed.

Only two chimpanzees could be rescued from the flames by firefighters. They suffered burns but are in stable condition, zoo director Wolfgang Dressen said.

Firefighters work at the burning monkey house of the zoo in Krefeld, western Germany, on early January 1

A fire which broke out at the Zoo in Krefeld, Germany is pictured from a distance in the early hours of January 1

A makeshift shrine was set up at the entrance outside of the zoo in Krefeld in the wake of the New Year's inferno

Dozens of animals including apes, monkeys, bats and birds were burnt alive after an inferno swept through the monkey enclosure at a German zoo in the first minutes of 2020

An aerial photo shows the scale of the inferno overnight. The entire structure was destroyed killing dozens of apes and monkeys

A 48-year-old silverback gorilla called Massa was among the animals killed in the inferno at the zoo overnight

The zoo posted this picture of orangutans inside the monkey house just hours before the blaze

Several witnesses reported that they had seen the cylindrical paper lanterns (file picture) with little fires inside flying in the night sky shortly after midnight Wednesday near the Krefeld zoo, Gerd Hoppmann, the city's head of criminal police told reporters

'Our worst fears have been realised,' Krefeld zoo, which specialises in primates, announced on its Facebook page.

Firefighters prevented the flames from spreading to other buildings at the zoo in North Rhine-Westphalia.

'It's close to a miracle that Bally, a 40-year-old female chimpanzee, and Limbo, a younger male, survived this inferno,' Dressen said, adding that many animal handlers were in shock at the devastation.

'We have to seriously work through the mourning process,' Dressen said. 'This is an unfathomable tragedy.'

The zoo director also said than many of the dead animals were close to extinction in the wild.

The zoo said that in addition to the two rescued chimpanzees, the Gorilla Garden near to the Ape House didn't go up in flames and that gorilla Kidogo and six other members of his family group are alive.

The zoo near the Dutch border said that the entire ape house burned down and more than 30 animals, including five orangutans, two gorillas, a chimpanzee and several monkeys, as well as fruit bats and birds, were killed

Police said the fire at at Krefeld zoo in northwestern Germany may have been caused by Chinese sky lanterns launched to celebrate the new year

Several witnesses reported that they had seen the cylindrical paper lanterns with little fires inside flying in the night sky shortly after midnight Wednesday near the Krefeld zoo, Gerd Hoppmann, the city's head of criminal police told reporters

Aftermath: This was the scene after fire ripped through the monkey enclosure in a blaze believed to have been started by sky lanterns

Candles, soft toys and notes were left at the entrance of the zoo this afternoon as the scale of the inferno became clear

A note with text 'in silent commemoration and loving memory' at the entrance outside of the zoo in Krefeld

The German animal protection association quickly called for all kinds of fireworks to be banned near zoos, farms and kennels.

The deadly blaze was 'terrible proof of the dramatic consequences for animals' from 'uncontrolled' celebrations, the group said.

Criminal police officer Hoppmann said that the use of sky lanterns is illegal in Krefeld and most other parts of Germany and asked that the people who launched them or people who witnessed anything should come forward to police.

Germans usually welcome in the new year with fireworks at midnight and private persons are allowed to buy and launch fireworks. Sky lanterns, however, are both illegal and uncommon in Germany.

A 48-year-old gorilla called Massa (left) was killed in the inferno while another, Kidogo (right), survived in the outdoor enclosure

The blaze at Krefeld zoo in northwestern Germany destroyed the entire ape house killing dozens of animals inside while fruit bats and birds also died in the fire

Firefighters at the burned-out monkey house of the zoo in Krefeld. It was not clear what started the fire although local media have reported that it could have been caused by fireworks

The burned-out monkey house of the zoo in Krefeld pictured in the early hours of January 1

Firefighters at work at the destroyed monkey house in Krefeld, Germany

Firefighters in front of the shelled-out animal house which was destroyed by a sudden fire on New Year's Eve

Firefighters work at the burned-out monkey house. The blaze destroyed the monkey enclosure, which opened in 1975, shortly before midnight

Sky lanterns, which are sometimes also called Chinese lanterns, are a sort of hot-air balloon made of paper. They have been used in Asia for celebratory events for centuries.

Hoppmann said investigators found some used lanterns on the ground that hadn't burned entirely. They were 34 centimeters (13.4 inches) long, made out of white paper with an opening at the bottom where a small fire would have been suspended.

The fire heats the air inside, making them fly and shine at night.

Hoppmann said some of the lanterns had handwritten notes on them.

The Krefeld zoo was opened in 1975 and attracts some 400,000 visitors each year. It will remain closed on Wednesday.