As many as 80 horses were saved by firefighters and police after fire consumed two barns in Schererville, Indiana, Thursday night.
When they arrived at Baldwin Farms, 8113 Cline Ave., about 7:45 p.m. one barn was engulfed in flames and the fire was moving quickly, said Schererville Fire Chief Joe Kruzan.
“We made some attempts at stopping the fire, but with all the straw and hay and quick-moving fire, we lost control and had to evacuate personnel,” he said.
Firefighters and police also encountered between 75 and 80 horses that lived in the barns.
“We were very concerned that the horses were going to bolt in our direction. They were kicking and running wildly,” Kruzan said.
But firefighters, police, and some of the horses’ owners managed to corral the animals to safety. Kruzan even credited a Schererville police officer, who used to be in a rodeo, for helping to bring the animals to safety. All of the horses were saved, he said.
The fire destroyed two barns. Kruzan said investigators would be back at the scene Friday to try to figure out what caused the fire.
