At least 17 horses were killed in a barn fire at the Saratoga Casino Hotel harness track.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (WNYT) – A barn fire at Saratoga Casino Hotel destroyed a backstretch stable, killing nearly 20 horses, canceling live harness racing, officials said.
Related: Saratoga community reacts to barn fire that killed estimated 17 horses
Saratoga Casino Hotel and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department said the fire broke out around 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 16 in a barn at the backstretch of the harness racetrack at 25 Nelson Ave. The barn was completely destroyed.
In a press release received by the NewsChannel 13 newsroom around 2:30 p.m., the Saratoga Casino Hotel and the Saratoga Harness Horseperson’s Association said 17 horses died in the fire. One horse escaped the fire and was mildly injured.
Eleven of the horses that died belonged to trainer Robyn Mangiardi, the other six belonged to trainer Timothy Benson, according to the afternoon release.
“The loss suffered today is heartbreaking for our racing community,” said Sam Gerrity, Chief Executive Officer of Saratoga Casino Hotel. “Our thoughts remain with Robyn, Tim, their teams, the horse owners, and everyone affected by this tragedy. We are deeply grateful to the security personnel, first responders, and racing staff whose swift actions helped protect the horses and people in the surrounding barns.”
Saratoga Casino and Saratoga Hospital are partnering to provide grief counseling to affected trainers, caretakers, owners, and members of the backstretch community.
No people were hurt, according to the casino hotel and fire department. Officials said members of the Saratoga Casino Hotel security team rescued several horses before the fire grew too large to manage.
The Saratoga Springs Fire Department said when crews arrived at the scene they found an advanced fire condition. They said they worked to put the fire out while also trying to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby barns and structures.
The fire department said firefighters, law enforcement, staff and other people at the scene worked to remove animals from nearby structures but were unable to prevent the deaths of some. They said they were assisted by agencies across Saratoga County.
The fire is still under investigation. The fire department said updates will be released as they learn more.
Live harness racing was canceled June 16 at the track.
Saratoga Casino Hotel said a memorial is being planned for the horses who died. Details of the memorial will be announced in the future.
NewsChannel 13 has a crew at the scene and will bring you updates on-air and online.
Watch video of the fire
A fire at Saratoga Harness Track has killed several horses.
