POWHATAN COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Community members in Powhatan County are leaning on one another after flames ripped through a barn on Oakleigh Arabian Farm’s property, killing three horses.
Crews were called to the farm, located along Dorset Road, around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 21 and fought the flames for around the next hour and a half. During that time, no humans were injured, but locals told 8News that those who cared for the now-deceased horses are still grieving and in disbelief.
8News spoke with Powhatan Fire and Rescue Fire Chief Phil Warner, told 8News that rescue crews arrived at the scene within six minutes of receiving the emergency call. However, even before responders arrived, the rescue had become a team effort.
“A passerby had seen the fire [while] driving down the road, stopped in and rescued four or five horses themselves,” Warner said.
Then, Powhatan firefighters broke through a stall door and used rope as a guide to save a sixth horse. Sadly, three horses were caught in the blaze, which engulfed the majority of the barn.
“There’s a tremendous amount of loss,” said Warner.
During the rescue mission, responders faced almost zero visibility due to the intense smoke in the air — Mother Nature further intensifying the ruthless conditions. The Virginia Department of Transportation also played a role in helping by salting the slippery, icy grounds.
In the scorching fire’s chilling aftermath, community members expressed grief over social media.
“It means so much to the family that had lost the horses,” Warner said.
The Powhatan Fire Department’s Fire Marshal is still trying to narrow down exactly how the fire started.
