Days after a fire forced the temporary evacuation of the C Barn, horses pull a wagon into the barn after a competition in the adjacent Eastern States Coliseum.
Reminder Publishing photo by Michael Ballway
WEST SPRINGFIELD — Owners of horses injured in a Sept. 20 fire at the Big E are saying it was more serious than first responders and Eastern States Exposition staff reported.
“Although there are multiple physical injuries, a lot of it has been mental, as well,” said Hailey Fountain, owner of Silent Serenity Training in Belchertown, who is taking care of four horses injured by the fire at the C Barn, the stables adjacent to the Eastern States Coliseum. “They’re having a very hard time being inside. They’re having a very hard time being in so much pain.”
Exposition staff did not respond to three phone calls requesting comment.
The Eastern States Exposition Horse Show’s Facebook page posted a statement the day after the fire, saying that, “we are grateful for the prompt response from our team and authorities, plus all exhibitors who are supporting each other during this transition.”
The statement also said activities would begin again that afternoon. A few days later, the exposition announced it was reimbursing and forgoing horse show entry fees.
According to Lt. Anthony Spear, on Friday, Sept. 20, the West Springfield Fire Department received a call about a fire at the barn at 11:43 p.m. It put out a second alarm within the first 10 minutes, dispatching all on-duty personnel to the C Barn. The department also received mutual aid from the Springfield and Agawam fire departments.
Spear said the fire itself was extinguished shortly after firefighters arrived, and was confined to one stall. In a media statement posted on Facebook, the department said evacuating the animals was necessary.
Fountain said 14-year-old Isabelle Hutchins, who rides with Silent Serenity Training, helped to evacuate them.
Horse owner Jamie Caesar said she was on her way to West Springfield when she got a call that her horse Dante was missing, which sent her into a panic. When she was closer to Memorial Avenue, she got another call saying someone had found Dante on Route 5. Police officers had shut down the road and brought him to a Dunkin’.
“The whole time, it was just panic,” she said. “I didn’t know where my horse was or whether he was hurt. There was not a lot of communication from the show at all.”
The last firefighters were able to leave the barn by 2:02 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. The West Springfield Fire Department and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the fire. Spear said it didn’t appear to be suspicious.
The department’s media statement said a sweep had confirmed that all 161 horses housed in the barn were safe and had minor injuries.
But Fountain said two of the horses in Fountain’s care had severe injuries. Dante was found with a seven-inch skin flap hanging off him, and muscle damage. He was taken back to the fairgrounds on Memorial Avenue, where an emergency vet gave him at least 50 stitches.
“He currently is not sound from it,” said Fountain, meaning he is limping and unable to work or be ridden. He is taking pain medication.
“I don’t know if he’s going to be able to go back to normal after this,” she said.
One of Fountain’s horses, Pino, had gauges and cuts on her legs from the knees down. The horse has had a tough time with wound care and has had to be on pain medication and calming additives, she said.
The two other horses also have injuries. Fountain said her horse Riker is in mental pain, screaming and walking in circles when inside a barn. It will take time before he can go inside again, but he will ultimately be OK, she said.
Illias, who is owned by Caesar, got road rash on his shoulders and front legs, and is unable to work. Fountain also thinks she will ultimately be OK.
Caesar emphasized that the fire took away income from farms and trainers, with their horses unable to compete in shows while recovering.
“This not only affects their horses but affects their livelihood. This is their income,” she said. “They’re losing a lot of money.”
Fountain and Caesar said the Big E should offer to pay vet bills for the horses, with Caesar noting that Dante may never be able to perform as a show horse again.
“They need to be held accountable for the fact that there’s generally not a safe way to evacuate those horses if it was on fire,” Fountain added.
The two also accused the Big E of downplaying the severity of the fire.
“There’s no acknowledgement for what happened, how it happened or the severity of how it happened,” Fountain said.
Caesar also said the fair should apologize and adopt better fire safety procedures.
