Reports from Ohio state that at least 43 horses have died as a result of a barn fire at Lebanon Raceway, with two unidentified people dead
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Krista Wyatt, a Lebanon Fire Department captain, told the Dayton Daily News that the fire was called in at 4:50 a.m., and when firefighters arrived, the roof had already collapsed and the barn - which can hold up to 80 horses - was fully involved.
Lamar Moody, lead trainer at Lebanon Raceway, told the Dayton Daily News that two people were reportedly unaccounted for after the fire: Ronnie Williams and his co-worker, James "Turtle" Edwards.
Lebanon Raceway is a harness racing track located in Lebanon, Ohio, between Dayton and Cincinnati.
For more information on this story from the Dayton Daily News, click here. Another local media outlet, WHIO TV has provided an on-the-scene report, available here.
Trot Insider will continue to follow this story and provide updates as they develop.
This is the nightmare of
This is the nightmare of every horse person! Godspeed to humans and horses alike. I have the feeling the people were trying to free the horses, and just did not have enough time;in that case they were heroes trying to do their job. My heart goes out to families, friends, owners and trainers alike.
Godspeed my friends, Godspeed...
First of all, let me extend
First of all, let me extend my sympathies to all that suffered losses.
Now, let me ask, why does Lebanon Raceway have no sprinklers in their stables? Why don't horsemen insist they have sprinklers where they stable? You hear of barn fires at least several times a year; they seem to be inevitable. Why not try to mitigate the problem?
The county (they own the fairgrounds), track management and the horsemen at Lebanon Raceway need to wonder why they ignored this problem and did nothing about it. I know installing sprinklers is not cheap, but there are ways to finance it. Horsemen and the track could split the cost 50-50 with the horsemen's portion coming out of the purse account over a period of years. Stall rent could include a surcharge to finance the sprinklers.
Such sad news -- the lost of
Such sad news -- the lost of both human life and equine life.
My condolences go to the families who lost a loved one and to the owners of all the horses.
Marie Stoyles-Moura