London Zoo Fire Leaves Aardvark Dead, Meerkats Missing

A fire erupted at the London Zoo early Saturday, leaving a cafe and shop engulfed in flames and an aardvark dead, authorities said. Four meerkats were also reported missing hours after dozens of firefighters had contained the blaze, which broke out shortly after 6 a.m. local time. “We are all naturally devastated by this, but are immensely grateful to the fire brigade, who reacted quickly to the situation to bring the fire under control,” the zoo said in a statement. Several employees, some of whom had stuck around to evacuate animals to safety, received treatment for smoke inhalation. The zoo will be closed until further notice as the damage is assessed. The cause of the fire is under investigation.