Chandigarh, Oct. 29 -- A major fire broke out at Chhatbir zoo in Mohali district on Tuesday, destroying 18 electric rickshaws. Officials said there was no casualty and no animal enclosure was affected. Staff at the Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park said the fire started at the e-rickshaw charging station near the main entrance around 8am and within minutes it spread, engulfing all parked vehicles. The staff immediately alerted the fire department and several tenders were rushed to the spot. It took an hour to control the blaze, the authorities said, adding the cause is being ascertained. E-rickshaws were introduced by the Chhatbir zoo authorities as an eco-friendly measure to reduce pollution. Earlier, tourists were allowed to enter the zoo, spread over 505 acres, in their private vehicles, which was later restricted to protect the environment and ensure animal safety. The authorities are assessing the damage and taking steps to prevent such incidents in future. They said it was a matter of relief that the blaze did not spread further inside the zoo premises, which could have endangered animals and visitors. According to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), the large category zoo houses 1,241 animals across 103 species and is known for lion and deer safaris. It is open from 9am to 5pm barring Monday and national holidays....