Horse Barn Fires: An Avoidable Tragedy

One of the worst possible nightmares for a horse owner is to see the glow of a barn fire in the night sky. The real tragedy of most barn fires is that they probably could have been prevented with a few precautionary

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One of the worst possible nightmares for a horse owner is to see the glow of a barn fire in the night sky. The real tragedy of most barn fires is that they probably could have been prevented with a few precautionary steps.


R. Dean Scoggins, DVM, former equine extension veterinarian at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in Urbana says, “Horse barn fires are something that happen with some regularity, most started due to avoidable electrical problems in the barn wiring.” These electrical problems are often caused by damage to wires. When an old barn is converted to a horse barn, wiring may get pinched and damaged in the process. Horse owners may want to consider having a converted barn completely rewired to make sure that the wiring is safe. Sometimes too many appliances (such as vacuums, fans and clippers) may be plugged in to the outlets, causing an electrical overload in the barn wiring. Small animals such as squirrels, mice, and rats also contribute to the damage in wiring by chewing the insulation off and leaving live wires exposed to the environment.


So what can be done to make sure that a barn fire does not occur? Scoggins says, “Have an electrician come in and inspect the barn for wiring problems, and make sure that the wiring is adequate for your power needs.” Horse owners cannot afford not to have this done because the potential loss is so great. Not only is there the emotional loss involved, but there are also financial losses and liability issues to consider especially at barns where horses belonging to other people are housed. In addition, many insurance companies will give breaks on insurance premiums if an inspection or other preventative measures are taken.


The most important thing that can be done to save horses in the event of a fire is to make an emergency plan in advance. Make sure that the people who work in the barn know the plan, and make sure that you have the appropriate fire extinguishing equipment easily accessible. This includes fire extinguishers, and a water supply that has adequate pressure. Get an extinguisher that will work on electrical fires. (You should never use water to put out an electrical fire.) Make sure that the electrical switch box is located in a place where it can be shut down in the event of an electrical fire. Leave a halter and a lead rope at each stall at all times to facilitate the evacuation of horses

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Learn more about the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine at vetmed.illinois.edu.

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