Nine Russian circus bears die touring Turkey
December 29th, 2011 - 9:15 pm ICT by IANSMoscow, Dec 29 (IANS/RIA Novosti) A total of nine Russian circus bears died of smoke inhalation while touring Turkey, a Russian official said Thursday.
The animals died when smoke filled a hangar, or a closed structure they were being kept in, presumably after an electrical short circuit.
“Our workers, who take care of the animals day and night, tried to rescue the bears, to take them out of the smoke-filled room. But it was too late. They had already inhaled too much smoke, and unlike humans, they are sensitive to it. Only one bear survived,” said the head of the Russian state circus company Rosgostsirk, Alexander Kalmykov.
“This tragedy is to be blamed fully on the Turkish side, which, of course, will compensate for the financial damage. But it’s not about material losses, it’s mostly moral damage — nine innocent souls have died, this is what is really terrible,” he added.
Russian circus performers have staged shows in Ankara, the Turkish capital, for 15 years.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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