Fire Consumes Horse Barn At Central Illinois Fairgrounds, Killing 5 Horses, 1 Dog

CHARLESTON, IL — A massive fire broke out in a horse barn Friday evening at the Coles County Fairgrounds, about an hour south of Champaign, killing five horses and one dog. Several other animals were safely evacuated.

The fire broke a few minutes after 9 p.m. at the Coles County Fairgrounds, 603 W. Madison Avenue. When the Charleston Fire Department arrived, firefighters encountered a 40 by 100-foot metal horse barn fully engulfed in flames. Loose horses and bystanders were in the surrounding area.

CFD crews fought back to contain the blaze, and keep the fire from spreading to adjacent barns. Multiple alarms went out to bring in additional resources.

Chief Tim Meister, of the Charleston Fire Department, credited the quick actions of bystanders who successfully evacuated the horses from nearby barns.

“Tragically, the five horses located in the fire-involved structure were found deceased during primary and secondary searches. Due to significant structural damage, interior firefighting operations were halted for the safety of personnel. Heavy machinery was brought in to assist in overhaul efforts,” the fire department said in a statement on Facebook.

No fire-related injuries were reported, however, one bystander suffered minor injuries after being kicked by a horse while assisting with evacuations. No transport to the hospital was required.

Charleston firefighters remained on the scene until after 1 a.m. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

As of Saturday morning, no one was being allowed into the mangled barn, awaiting the arrival of three investigators from Kentucky, who specialize in investigating barn fires, a source told Patch.

“They haven’t removed the dead horses yet,” he said. “They’re not letting anybody into the barn.”