Zebras, camels and a miniature horse rescued on Indiana highway after circus truck catches fire

Five zebras, four camels and a miniature horse were rescued from the truck as it burst into flames.

A truck hauling zebras and camels for a circus performance caught fire over the weekend prompting a police rescue of the animals.

The tractor-trailer caught fire at around 2am along Interstate 69 in Grant County, northeastern Indiana.

Local officials and a bystander managed to round up the five zebras, four camels and a miniature horse by leading them out of the smoke-filled trailer, Sergeant Steven Glass from the Indiana State Police said.

None of the animals were injured and those saving them were treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation, he added.

The truck driver, a 57-year-old man from Sarasota, Florida, was not injured.

All northbound lanes of the highway were closed for several hours while the area was cleaned up and the animals were taken away by another truck.

One video shows some of the zebras munching on grass in a surreal scene several miles east of the city of Marion, located about 60 miles northeast of Indianapolis.

“It’s not something we see every day,” Deputy Brent Ressett with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office said.

The truck was bringing the animals from Florida to Fort Wayne for four weekend circus performances in the northeastern Indiana city, circus director Steve Trump said.

Mr Trump said the truck's crew stopped the vehicle along the highway and discovered a fire that quickly spread. The fire destroyed the truck.

A second vehicle was sent from Fort Wayne to pick up the animals from the highway to take them to their circus performances, he said.

“I was thrilled that things worked out that way,” Mr Trump added.

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