A FIRE AT the National Reptile Zoo in Kilkenny this morning has killed one snake, and forced the venue to close for the day.

The fire started at around 9.30am this morning, and it’s believed it was caused by an electrical fault in a heating system.

The zoo’s director James Hennessy worked with fire crews to remove the animals from the area, but the fire left one snake dead and a number of reptiles injured.

A large volume of anti-venom stock was also destroyed in the blaze, and the zoo is one of the few places to hold a licence for anti-venom in the country.

Hennessy told KilkennyNow that he hopes to reopen the zoo – based in Gowran – tomorrow.

He said: “It’s obviously been a very difficult day but thankfully the fire was contained in a restricted area.”

The zoo opens seven days a week from 10am to 6pm, and hosts over 50 exhibits. It also supports projects at home and abroad for the conservation of reptiles.

It has increased its visitor numbers in the past decade – more than doubling to well over 30,000 a year.