SARATOGA REPORT EDITORIAL – Tuesday’s devastating barn fire that killed 17 horses is a call for better fire protection for horses and other animals

 

As most if not all of you already know, 17 harness racing horses perished in a barn fire on the backside of the Saratoga Harness Track in the early morning hours Tuesday.  The videos and pictures of the fire itself and the gruesome aftermath make us think about these doomed animals, terrified beyond imagination, trapped in an inferno with no way out.  Horrific.

While we don’t yet know the cause of the fire, we do know that some of these barns were built in the 1940s.  That’s 80 years of drying wood surrounded by dry hay – regardless of the fire’s cause the word that comes to mind is “combustible”.   As jarring as this tragedy is, it is a bit of a surprise it hasn’t happened here long before 2026.  It likely has, but perhaps long ago before most of us were around.   Barn fires certainly have happened at other tracks, both harness and thoroughbred, with similar devastating deaths.

Some local news reports indicate that the barn in question did not have a fire suppression system.       Wheras news reports indicated that barns on the NYRA property across the street do have fire suppression, as a community we are only as strong as our weakest link.   Fire detection and suppression have advanced immensely over the years and the relative prices have dropped over time – there should not be a system of haves and have nots for these animals.  It says here that we can and must do better.

To local officials’ credit, there are already talks going on amongst Saratoga County officials about steps to take.  But these talks – and ultimate action – should not stop at the Twin Bridges.  Also, new laws and other added protections shouldn’t be limited to horses.  Officials in Albany should take action at the state level, and not wait two years to do it.  To that end, Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner stated in an interview to WNYT News “….Ensuring the barns have the appropriate fire protection and fire suppression equipment is something we need to move forward on.”  Yes.  Bravo.

We cannot bring these 17 horses back, but we can ensure their horrible and agonizing deaths are not in vain.  Our governments need to act swiftly, judiciously and effectively to enact laws and regulations to protect these magnificent animals.  As a civilized society, we should accept nothing less.

 

Note:  We will list below the names of the horses that perished in the fire:

• Arlanda

• Conquest As

• Crazy Jet

• Five Star Lou

• Free Willy Hanover

• Gimlet Hanover

• Influencer

• Lyons Dukey

• Muscle Dynasty

• Our Father Lindy

• Perfect Bang

• Quite Like Me

• Race Me Bombshell

• Shalamar Hanover

• Trackstar

• Tropical Cyclone

• Red