Alexander Gorobets: Theatre of animals burnt in Ukraine

Fire destroyed the only private theatre of animals in Ukraine. The theatre belonged to Yury Kontorsky, a citizen of Odessa. A lynx, llamas, monkeys, a Himalayan bear, a camel, rabbits, a fox, and about of dozen of animals more choked in the smoke, the department of the fire prevention service of the Odessa region informed.

Somebody called the fire service and said a big wagon was a-smoke in Pasternak street. The firemen did not have anything to extinguish, but almost all animals inside the wagon choked with poisonous smoke. Only two pythons stayed alive by a miracle.

The investigation found that the incident happened because of the 5-meter hungry python. It was so hungry that it swallowed a heating lamp, hanging down above it, which caused short circuit.

Yury Kontorsky’s theatre of animals was established about eight years ago. The theatre toured the cities of Ukraine, CIS and Europe. The government of Odessa wanted to help in the construction of a special theatre-cafe, where the animals could perform. The idea was not realized due to the absence of the funds. So the animals were living in a wagon until the tragedy.

Alexander Gorobets PRAVDA.Ru Kiev Ukraine

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/01/24/35975.html