GRANT COUNTY — I-69 was closed down early Saturday morning but not for your usual traffic delays.
Zebras and camels were left wandering the interstate after a vehicle fire.
According to Indiana State Police, a cab of a semi-truck was found engulfed in flames by a state trooper around 2 a.m.
The driver was able to escape the vehicle safely but the trailer was loaded with animals from the Shrine Circus.
Five zebras, four camels and a miniature horse were rescued by Trooper Titus, Grant County Deputy Joshua Kennedy and a member of the Shrine Circus.
The rest were safely secured by additional officers on the scene.
Grant County Sheriff's Office reported the incident on social media.
The northbound lanes of I-69 were shutdown as the department worked to get the animals to safety. "No harm to our furry friends," the office said.
All animals and the driver of the semi-truck were uninjured. Trooper Titus and Deputy Kennedy were treated at a local hospital for smoke inhalation and later released without further injury.
The cause of the vehicle fire was determined as an equipment failure.
