After several recent barn fires have killed dozens of horses across the nation, New York State Racing and Wagering Board Chairman John D. Sabini is urging owners and trainers of horses at racetracks to step up inspections.

"Barns can become fully engulfed in flames in a matter of minutes–and that’s why it is imperative to take steps that can prevent these fires from igniting in the first place," said Sabini, New York’s chief regulator of both Thoroughbred and harness track racing. "As soon as flames begin to flicker inside a barn, it literally can be too late. A thorough inspection of barns is absolutely essential."

The most recent barn fire erupted at a show arena in Minnesota. Around 40 horses perished in the blaze, which remains under investigation.

Earlier this year, 27 horses–many of them Thoroughbreds involved in racing–died in a fire that broke out in a barn at Riverside Downs in Kentucky. The cause of that fire is believed to be accidental. Another 15 horses were killed in a barn fire in Washington State