Sunday, a barn fire in rural Georgia claimed the lives of 26 horses, according to officials.
When first responders arrived, according to the Forsyth County Fire Department, the horses and their quarters in the barn had already been destroyed.
“It was determined that the fire had been burning for an extended period of time before it was discovered by the first 911 callers,” the department stated in a statement.
No injuries to humans were reported.
According to its website, the address corresponds to Blue Springs Farm, a facility that offers equestrian competition instruction, horse-riding summer camps, and horse boarding.
It has 32 spaces, according to the website. A facility administrator did not respond promptly to a request for comment.
Upon receiving a complaint of smoke in the area, the Forsyth County Fire Department dispatched an engine company to the barn’s location in northwest Forsyth County.
It was reported that while the firefighters were en route, the fire department received multiple additional calls corroborating the presence of fire at the location. The fire was raging when firefighters arrived, according to the fire department.
“The crew discovered a large, heavily damaged barn with multiple horse stalls,” it stated.
According to the fire department, firefighters adopted a defensive stance until the structure was completely destroyed by the blaze.
“Twenty-six horses boarded at the facility were lost in the fire,” it said. “The barn itself is also a total loss.”
The origin of the fire was being investigated.
