7 horses die in barn fire near Patterson, firefighters say
PATTERSON – Several horses died in a barn fire at a Stanislaus County property near Patterson late Thursday night, authorities say.
The West Stanislaus County Fire Protection District says crews responded to the scene along Poppy Avenue at the southern edge of Patterson city limits just before 9 p.m.
Firefighters found that some haystacks in a barn had caught fire – with the flames spreading to another barn at the neighboring property on Dahlia Avenue.
A total of nine horses were living in the barn that caught fire, crews say.
Of those horses, firefighters say only two were rescued; the other seven horses died in the fire. No other injuries were reported, but firefighters say both barns were a total loss.
Crews brought the flames under control by 10 p.m., but firefighters were at the scene through the night and early morning hours Friday to deal with hot spots.
Exactly what started the fire remains under investigation.
