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The West Springfield Fire Department said they were able to evacuate all the horses Friday night.
The West Springfield Fire Department responded to the Big E fair after 11:45 p.m. Friday night. Photo courtesy of the West Springfield Fire Department
A barn at the Big E fairgrounds caught fire Friday night, the West Springfield Fire Department said, prompting the evacuation of all 161 horses housed there.
The fire department said in a statement that they received 28 calls around 11:45 p.m. alerting them to the fire.
The statement said the sprinkler system inside the barn contained the fire and kept the horses safe. Massachusetts Fire Service drone teams swept the area and determined that all 161 horses are safe at home with “minor injuries.” Multiple agencies responded to the fire, including the West Springfield Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, fair exhibitors and the Eastern States Exposition Staff.
The fire brigade states that they have started an investigation into what caused the fire. A spokesperson for Big E said they would release a statement soon, as “the situation is evolving.”
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