Owner of private S.J. zoo missing in house fire

An owner of a private zoo in Burlington County is missing and feared dead after a fire ripped through her log cabin on the property this morning.

Bridget Sipp, 43, was rescued from the burning building by a zoo worker, but she apparently ran back to rescue her mother, said brother-in-law George Sipp.

The same worker later rescued Bridget Sipp's mother from a second-floor terrace of the log cabin, which was destroyed in the blaze.

"I pray to God she'd be alright, but there's no way," Sipp's brother-in-law said as a search of the ruins was under way.

Springfield Township Fire Chief Brian Kokotajlo declined to confirm whether Sipp was missing.

The two-alarm fire in the house on the grounds of the Animal Kingdom Zoo and pet shop on Jacksonville-Jobstown Road in Springfield Township was reported at 8:16 a.m., Kokotajlo said.

Firefighters found the two story building in flames on arrival. Water had to be shuttled with tanks to fight the blaze because of the absence of hydrants in the rural area, Kokotajlo said.

Firefighters also were concerned about the presence of propane tanks near the house, Kokotajlo said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but George Sipp said family members suspected it may have been caused by a propane tank, probably on the porch.

Authorities "are not quite sure exactly what happened yet, but they think a propane tank went off maybe and exploded in the house . . . and caused the house to catch on fire," Sipp said.

He said that after the zoo worker pulled Bridget Sipp out the building, the employee called 911.

"By the time he got off the phone and turned around, she was gone," George Sipp said. "So he assumed she ran right back in, probably to save her mother."

No zoo animals were hurt in the fire, but an employee said Bridget Sipp cared for sick dogs, puppies and other animals in the house, and not all of them have been accounted for.

Kokotajlo said he believes a dog was taken to a local veterinary

Bridget Sipp owned the zoo and pet store with her husband Burton, who was out of town.

"She loved this place," said Rebecca Hunter, a zoo keeper.