A BATTERY fire which ignited at a popular Port Stephens wildlife centre on Wednesday morning quickly spread to a stash of wetsuits, causing smoke to fill the premises.
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Emergency crews were called to Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters, on Jessie Road at Anna Bay, just before 6.30am on April 17 where they found smoke billowing from a single-storey structure.
According to a spokeswoman for NSW Fire and Rescue, the blaze started when a lithium-ion battery ignited. Staff were on site at the time and were quick to douse the flames with water and evacuate the building.
The fire had already spread and a bunch of "burning wetsuits" and was producing a lot of smoke, requiring significant ventilation.
Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW crews remained at the scene, cleaning up and ventilating the building. Atmospheric monitoring has since declared the air clear of smoke and the wildlife centre was able to open to the public on Wednesday.
The business released a public statement about the incident, confirming that no animals were injured in the fire.
"During the very early hours of this morning, Irukandji had a small fire outside of our shed. It was quickly contained and we received only minor cosmetic damage. The fire was nowhere near our animals, who were non the wiser.
"We are still OPEN and operating as normal. We thank the community for their support and hope to see everyone soon."
Irukandji Shark and Ray Centre describes itself as a "unique, interactive aquarium".
"Irukandji's ultimate purpose is to connect visitors to our natural world by introducing them first hand," according to its website.