"It had to be the lion enclosure": Mother speaks about terrifying car fire dilemma at safari park

Helen Clements said she was faced with a dilemma in facing a pride of lions or staying in her burning car at Longleat Safari Park

A mother has spoken about the terrifying moment she had to decide between staying in her burning car or face a pride of lions with her two young children.

Helen Clements was just 100 yards away from the lions when her car broke down and started to smoke.

She was with son George, nine, and daughter Charlie, 12, when she was met with the dilemma at Longleat Safari Park.

At first she thought the car was steam and sounded her horn, but then realised it was smoke when it got thicker and started to come into her car along with flames.

Mrs Clements told the BBC that she and George opened their doors as the park rangers started running towards them.

"Unfortunately they were shouting to us 'get back in the car, do not get out of the car'.

"It was a situation of 'what do you do?' Do you get out of the car because you're on fire? And they're telling you to get back in the car, so that was the dilemma."

George ran from the car, unaware that the lions were behind nearby cars and could have reached him in seconds.

Mrs Clements called him back and a ranger eventually pulled up and they all jumped into his vehicle.

Speaking after her ordeal, she could see the funny side: "It could have been in the flamingos or the camels, but no - it had to be in the lion enclosure."

The park was closed following the dramatic scenes in the lion enclosure and no animals were harmed.

A witness told the BBC: "The lions just kept their distance and didn't take their eyes off the fire and smoke. The rangers were pushing them back but they were reluctant on moving away as they looked interested."

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Talk about being between a rock and a hard place!

Erm I'd like to know how the hell her son was running from the car?? Is she stupid? He was obviously running ahead of her!

Glad she saw the funny side, perhaps she needs a lesson in common sense and take a mobile phone with her next time?

Well, with flames in the car she wouldn't have had time to use her mobile, the rangers were already there and she was probably seeing to her daughter when her son ran, impossible to keep hold of both in that situation.

Mrs Clements told the BBC that she and George opened their doors as the park rangers started running towards them.

Sounds like they were on opposite sides of the car.

Sassy wrote:Well, with flames in the car she wouldn't have had time to use her mobile, the rangers were already there and she was probably seeing to her daughter when her son ran, impossible to keep hold of both in that situation.

Mrs Clements told the BBC that she and George opened their doors as the park rangers started running towards them.

Sounds like they were on opposite sides of the car.
 

Hmmmm, she just sounds a bit daft.

eddie wrote:

Sassy wrote:Well, with flames in the car she wouldn't have had time to use her mobile, the rangers were already there and she was probably seeing to her daughter when her son ran, impossible to keep hold of both in that situation.

Mrs Clements told the BBC that she and George opened their doors as the park rangers started running towards them.

Sounds like they were on opposite sides of the car.
 

Hmmmm, she just sounds a bit daft.

Well, with a car full of smoke and flames and lions outside, I doubt she was cool, calm and collected lol

Sassy wrote:

eddie wrote:

Hmmmm, she just sounds a bit daft.

Well, with a car full of smoke and flames and lions outside, I doubt she was cool, calm and collected lol

True, but don't you do that thing, when you go somewhere with children, that you think of all eventualies and prepare for them?

I guess I'm being harsh but I'm sure my kid wouldn't have been running out of that car without me knowing!

eddie wrote:

Sassy wrote:

Well, with a car full of smoke and flames and lions outside, I doubt she was cool, calm and collected lol

True, but don't you do that thing, when you go somewhere with children, that you think of all eventualies and prepare for them?

I guess I'm being harsh but I'm sure my kid wouldn't have been running out of that car without me knowing!

With a car full of smoke and flames licking round his legs, I doubt you would be able to hold on to a nine year old and deal with the other child. Don't think I would be able to.

.....thinking about it sass, she could've thrown a lion on the car and had a tasty old steak.

thats "inhumane"....she'd have to strangle it first.....

victorisnotamused wrote:thats "inhumane"....she'd have to strangle it first.....

Oh shut up you  ::fishffight:: 

eddie wrote:.....thinking about it sass, she could've thrown a lion on the car and had a tasty old steak.

LOL! Does lion taste nice, has anyone tried?

Sassy wrote:

eddie wrote:.....thinking about it sass, she could've thrown a lion on the car and had a tasty old steak.

LOL!   Does lion taste nice, has anyone tried?

No, tried an ostrich burger in Camden London. That was okish
Had Bison in Maldives - very nice!

eddie wrote:

Sassy wrote:

LOL!   Does lion taste nice, has anyone tried?

No, tried an ostrich burger in Camden London. That was okish
Had Bison  in Maldives - very nice!

Not keen on Ostrich. Had Crocodile, Kangaroo and Wild Boar

Nems wrote:

eddie wrote:

No, tried an ostrich burger in Camden London. That was okish
Had Bison  in Maldives - very nice!

Not keen on Ostrich. Had Crocodile, Kangaroo and Wild Boar

What were they like and were you pished?  :asdrnkbudsas: 

eddie wrote:

Nems wrote:

Not keen on Ostrich. Had Crocodile, Kangaroo and Wild Boar

What were they like and were you pished?  :asdrnkbudsas: 

Crocodile was really lovely, Kangaroo I had a burger so to be fair it was not much different to any other burger.
Wild boar I wasnt mad on too strong for me.

I was however pished when I ate a witchety grub   

Nems wrote:

eddie wrote:

What were they like and were you pished?  :asdrnkbudsas: 

Crocodile was really lovely, Kangaroo I had a burger so to be fair it was not much different to any other burger.
Wild boar I wasnt mad on too strong for me.

I was however pished when I ate a witchety grub   

  euwwww!!

At Xmas my OH and I, decided to buy son some dried crickets as a stocking filler jokey thing.
At dinner my OH decides it's funny to put them on people's placemats as a "fun" appetiser.…..my mum freaked, my brother said no and only OH was stupid (read pished) enough to eat some.

Needles to say, not long after he had an allergic reaction and ended up breathless and in bed   

Only a bloody man!!!!

I had a kangaroo burger once...terrible indigestion...boing boing boing........

eddie wrote:

victorisnotamused wrote:thats "inhumane"....she'd have to strangle it first.....

Oh shut up you  ::fishffight:: 

I hope that fish was stunned before you used it as a club.....  

victorisnotamused wrote:I had a kangaroo burger once...terrible indigestion...boing boing boing........

I can imagine

Love the way the press have put a total spin on this. Guess who was at Longleat on Friday? Yep that was me (pictures on flickr) and we missed the incident by about 10 minutes - we were coming into the car park by the house when we saw the smoke.

However being on the ground as it were information was fresher and more accurate. Traffic was heavy through that enclosure as the lions were close both sides of the road so it was double lane creeping. The womans car overheated and started producing smoke. She leant on the horn, and the staff were straight over - it takes them seconds to reach any point in an enclosure and you would actually be hard pressed to get out of the car after beeping before they were there. Other staff were indeed shepherding the lions into their sleeping quarters - but that was to protect them from the fire not prevent them eating people already transferred.

It is not the first time this has happened and it will not be the last. Idiots do not check coolant (oil and water) before starting and then fail to notice the gauges and warning lights. The staff are very highly trained and very very fast. They have to be - not that many years ago they had a family stop in the enclosure where the car caught fire and get out with a picnic basket thinking (for some incomprehensible reason) that a platform built for the lions to rest on was a picnic table. On that occasion of course the family did not even try to attract the staff attention and the cats were very interested.

sphinx wrote:Love the way the press have put a total spin on this.  Guess who was at Longleat on Friday?  Yep that was me (pictures on flickr) and we missed the incident by about 10 minutes - we were coming into the car park by the house when we saw the smoke.

However being on the ground as it were information was fresher and more accurate.  Traffic was heavy through that enclosure as the lions were close both sides of the road so it was double lane creeping.  The womans car overheated and started producing smoke.  She leant on the horn, and the staff were straight over - it takes them seconds to reach any point in an enclosure and you would actually be hard pressed to get out of the car after beeping before they were there.  Other staff were indeed shepherding the lions into their sleeping quarters - but that was to protect them from the fire not prevent them eating people already transferred.

It is not the first time this has happened and it will not be the last.  Idiots do not check coolant (oil and water) before starting and then fail to notice the gauges and warning lights.  The staff are very highly trained and very very fast.  They have to be - not that many years ago they had a family stop in the enclosure where the car caught fire and get out with a picnic basket thinking (for some incomprehensible reason)  that a platform built for the lions to rest on was a picnic table.  On that occasion of course the family did not even try to attract the staff attention and the cats were very interested.

Haven't seen any flickr pictures, just the ones in The Mirror.

sphinx wrote:Love the way the press have put a total spin on this.  Guess who was at Longleat on Friday?  Yep that was me (pictures on flickr) and we missed the incident by about 10 minutes - we were coming into the car park by the house when we saw the smoke.

However being on the ground as it were information was fresher and more accurate.  Traffic was heavy through that enclosure as the lions were close both sides of the road so it was double lane creeping.  The womans car overheated and started producing smoke.  She leant on the horn, and the staff were straight over - it takes them seconds to reach any point in an enclosure and you would actually be hard pressed to get out of the car after beeping before they were there.  Other staff were indeed shepherding the lions into their sleeping quarters - but that was to protect them from the fire not prevent them eating people already transferred.

It is not the first time this has happened and it will not be the last.  Idiots do not check coolant (oil and water) before starting and then fail to notice the gauges and warning lights.  The staff are very highly trained and very very fast.  They have to be - not that many years ago they had a family stop in the enclosure where the car caught fire and get out with a picnic basket thinking (for some incomprehensible reason)  that a platform built for the lions to rest on was a picnic table.  On that occasion of course the family did not even try to attract the staff attention and the cats were very interested.

Ah I was wondering where the flickrpics were taken I remember you saying you dont live far from there.
THey didnt let the facts get in the way of a story I see!

Sassy wrote:

sphinx wrote:Love the way the press have put a total spin on this.  Guess who was at Longleat on Friday?  Yep that was me (pictures on flickr) and we missed the incident by about 10 minutes - we were coming into the car park by the house when we saw the smoke.

However being on the ground as it were information was fresher and more accurate.  Traffic was heavy through that enclosure as the lions were close both sides of the road so it was double lane creeping.  The womans car overheated and started producing smoke.  She leant on the horn, and the staff were straight over - it takes them seconds to reach any point in an enclosure and you would actually be hard pressed to get out of the car after beeping before they were there.  Other staff were indeed shepherding the lions into their sleeping quarters - but that was to protect them from the fire not prevent them eating people already transferred.

It is not the first time this has happened and it will not be the last.  Idiots do not check coolant (oil and water) before starting and then fail to notice the gauges and warning lights.  The staff are very highly trained and very very fast.  They have to be - not that many years ago they had a family stop in the enclosure where the car caught fire and get out with a picnic basket thinking (for some incomprehensible reason)  that a platform built for the lions to rest on was a picnic table.  On that occasion of course the family did not even try to attract the staff attention and the cats were very interested.

Haven't seen any flickr pictures, just the ones in The Mirror.

Sorry did not mean pictures of the incident - it was behind us - just pictures from Longleat itself on Friday including the new baby lemurs

Hahahaha another story in the paper that over-eggs the pudding!

Nems wrote:

sphinx wrote:Love the way the press have put a total spin on this.  Guess who was at Longleat on Friday?  Yep that was me (pictures on flickr) and we missed the incident by about 10 minutes - we were coming into the car park by the house when we saw the smoke.

However being on the ground as it were information was fresher and more accurate.  Traffic was heavy through that enclosure as the lions were close both sides of the road so it was double lane creeping.  The womans car overheated and started producing smoke.  She leant on the horn, and the staff were straight over - it takes them seconds to reach any point in an enclosure and you would actually be hard pressed to get out of the car after beeping before they were there.  Other staff were indeed shepherding the lions into their sleeping quarters - but that was to protect them from the fire not prevent them eating people already transferred.

It is not the first time this has happened and it will not be the last.  Idiots do not check coolant (oil and water) before starting and then fail to notice the gauges and warning lights.  The staff are very highly trained and very very fast.  They have to be - not that many years ago they had a family stop in the enclosure where the car caught fire and get out with a picnic basket thinking (for some incomprehensible reason)  that a platform built for the lions to rest on was a picnic table.  On that occasion of course the family did not even try to attract the staff attention and the cats were very interested.

Ah I was wondering where the flickrpics were taken I remember you saying you dont live far from there.
THey didnt let the facts get in the way of a story I see!

To be honest the most likely problem to occur in the safari park is cars overheating and that has always been the case - it was even more likely when the park first opened because of the way motors were then - and is therefore something they train the staff heavily for. I have seen the staff notifying drivers in the bits between enclosures that their engines smell hot - they do watch out for it. In each enclosure there is always at least one staff member in a vehicle close to where the animals are observing them at all times and ready to take action for anything from visitors being idiots to bust ups between the animals.

From the press point of view "car fire in lion enclosure" sounds brilliant and dramatic and dangerous, from Longleats point of view it is an uncommon but routine drill and even the press admitted they only had the enclosure closed for 10 minutes. The biggest concern will be to make sure the area is safe for the cats afterwards.

I think because we go so regularly we start to see the whole thing from a different perspective, we chat to the staff on quiet days and get greater understanding of the meaning of what we are seeing.