At least 43 horses killed, man burned in Logan County barn fire
A man sustained serious burns and at least 43 horses died in a fire Saturday that destroyed a massive barn used by two Logan County performance-horse businesses, according to an official with the Richland Township Fire Department and friends of the business owners.
Assistant Fire Chief Jason Johns said firefighters from Logan, Hardin and Union counties responded to the fire at Brant Performance Horses, 8755 State Route 638, about two miles south of Belle Center. The fire was reported to the Logan County Sheriff's Office at 12:15 p.m. Saturday, a dispatcher with that agency said.
"It was too far gone when we got there," Johns said of the 60,000-square-foot-barn with stalls, a performing arena, and living quarters for employees, who lost their belongings.
Firefighters were on the scene until about 11:30 p.m. Saturday.
Eric Priest, who operates Priest Performance Horses from the barn, was trying to save his clients' horses from inside the burning barn when he was injured in the fire, according to Jamie Miller, who organized a GoFundMe account to help Priest and his wife, Summer, since Priest lost his business, all his tack and is facing medical bills for recovery.
Priest sustained second-degree burns to his arms, back and head from rushing back in to try and free as many horses as he could, Miller wrote. Priest was initially transported to Mary Rutan Hospital in Bellefontaine, and later was transferred to Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. Miller reported that Miller is currently expected to be at Wexner Medical Center for about two weeks.
Photos posted by the Bellefontaine Examiner show some horses outside the barn as the fire burned in the background.
The fire destroyed the barn and at least 43 horses were known dead. Johns said a cause of the fire hasn't been determined, but the State Fire Marshal will investigate.
A GoFundMe page set up for Brant Performance Horses owners Brandon and Cathy Brant, who are listed as the owners of the property, raised $230,000 as of noon Monday. There were two GoFundMe pages set up for Priest Performance Horses. The Pray for Priest Performance Horses established by Miller had raised $32,000 as of noon Monday, while Support Priest Performance Horses After Barn Fire, established by Jen Bishop, had raised $7,000.
Logan County's Richland Township is about 70 miles northwest of Columbus.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Man seriously burned, at least 43 horses die in Logan County barn fire
