Sometimes you can take all the preventions and still it's not enough. An old L-shaped cinder block barn at Oak Tree, a division of Lane's End, caught fire and was virtually destroyed. The 12 mares had been turned out - no humans or horses were injured. The barn will be rebuilt.
October is fire safety month and for all of those who have horses it is a good time to review fire prevention methods and get your barn up to safe standards. What's this got to do with racing? Everything. Race horses and others die far too often in fires. A straw bedded stall is the equal to a pool of gasoline and the horses are standing in it with no way out.
In December 2003 a fire in Henderson Kentucky killed 22 horses. In 2005 31 Thoroughbreds were killed in a barn fire in Elkton Maryland. At Woodbine in August 2002 a desperate attempt to save horses at Woodbine racetrack in Toronto Ontario meant turning horses loose, with news reports of three horses killed and 50 injured, despite those running stall to stall opening doors to get horses out of the 126 stalls. March 2007 seven horses - five Thoroughbred and two World class Saddlebreds - were killed in a fire in the Lexington area. January 31, 2007 two others died in a fire caused by an electrical malfunction near Paris Kentucky. February 2002 22 head of Thoroughreds,mostly young prospects including a $200,000 Grand Slam colt died at the Ocala Stud farm. In February 1994 35 were killed at Fonner Park in Nebraska; July 2001 28 Standardbreds were killed at the Meadows; December 1993 29 killed at The Manor in New York.
In June 2006 Favorite Trick, 1997 Horse of the Year as a 2 year old, grade I Saratoga Six died in a fire along with four other stallions, in New Mexico.
Unfortunately these aren't the only ones. Activists get excited about visible deaths but the safety of horses in stalls is a risk also. We owe it to them to stress safe practices. Far too many people light up next to a "No Smoking" sign, toss it outside, it ends up swept into a stall and 5-6-7 hours later when everyone is gone another barn is gone. Electrical fires, lightning and other sources of ignition happen. They don't care what breed or what the value is. Prevention is far better than unnecessary risks. Make prevention plans today.
The horses deserve it. Barn fires are devestating.
Keywords: barn fire, Favorite Trick, Saratoga Six, Thoroughbreds
