CHARLESTON, Ill. (WCIA) — A tragic fire consumed a 40-by-100-foot metal horse barn at the Coles County Fairgrounds on Friday night, resulting in the deaths of six horses and one dog.
On July 11 at approximately 9:04 p.m., the Charleston Fire Department was dispatched to a reported fire at the Coles County Fairgrounds at 603 W Madison Ave. in Charleston. Initial 911 reports indicated that a horse barn was full involved, with horses still inside.
According to Fire Chief Tim Meister, upon arrival, fire crews encountered a 40-by-100-foot metal horse barn fully engulfed in flames. Multiple bystanders and loose horses were observed in the surrounding area. Charleston Fire personnel then initiated a defensive fire attack in order to contain the fire and stop it from spreading to adjacent barns.
During the incident, multiple alarms were requested to bring in additional resources. Five horses located in the fire-involved structure were found deceased during the primary and secondary searches, as well as one deceased dog according to Coles County Fair Director Stacy DeRousse. A sixth deceased horse was found Saturday morning according to Jill Brown of Brown Racing, who owns the horses.
However, all horses in the neighboring barns were successfully evacuated. Due to the significant structural damage to the horse barn, interior firefighting operations were halted for the safety of fire personnel. Additionally, heavy machinery was brought in to help with overhaul efforts.
No fire-related injuries were reported on scene. However, one bystander sustained minor injuries after being kicked by a horse while assisting with evacuations. No transport to the hospital was required.
The Charleston Fire Department remained on scene until approximately 1 a.m. on Saturday, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. There are five barns of standard bred racehorses that are often in use year-round for training, so this fire did not occur during the Coles County Fair, which is scheduled to take place at the end of the month. Barn 2 was the only barn to catch fire.
There is no word yet on how or if this will affect the start of the Coles County Fair, which is set to take place from July 27 to Aug. 3.
The following agencies assisted the Charleston Fire Department during this incident:
- Mattoon Fire Department
- Lincoln Fire Protection District
- Ameren CIPS
- Coles County 911
- Charleston Police Department
- Snider Farms
The Coles County Fair also thanked Mark Austin, the Snider Family and the numerous volunteers who helped with managing and finding displaced horses.
