Six Horses Burn to Death in Trailer Fire Sparked by Tire Blowout
There's a lot to be said for those truck cab video monitors.
Someone just sent me a very disturbing news story from California. It seems a truck was hauling a trailer with six horses in it, heading north from a horse show toward home in Oregon. The trailer blew a tire, but the driver didn't realize it. He drove for several miles before other motorists convinced him to stop because his tire was smoking...and the trailer was on fire. He finally pulled into a gas station, and the fire trucks came. All six horses died. Amazingly, the truck was not damaged.
The burning trailer also sparked several grass fires along the Interstate.
Click here to read the complete story from the Modesto Bee newspaper.
And please, check your tires every time you use your trailer. And look in the rear view mirror once in a while.
Labels: California, fire, horse trailer
posted by Fran Jurga @ 7/07/2008
5 comments
5 Comments:
Deepest sympathies to those involved and may the horses rest in peace. I know the folks that this happened to and they are truely wonderful people and I'm sure are absolutely devistated.
That happened to several horses I knew many years ago on their way back from a show; four died at the scene (despite the best efforts of their trainer, who was seriously injured trying to help them) and only the stallion was saved; he did die of complications of his burns almost a year later. It was a terrible thing to be around.
These are wonderful people - not to mention some of the best saddlebred breeders and trainers in the country. The horses lost were very valueable-- but the NW horse community can only prey this father and daughter team can find the strength to train and show again. I have seen some ugly smut on various websites about the driver and possible liability. It was simply an accident and my guess is he is punishing himself more than any media outlet or courtroom ever could. I would trust them with my animals any day.
This family is well respected for horse care- and no one can/should judge how they would react on a road you did not know at 5am with little light outside...passenger cars frequently pass horse trailers and honk or wave. On a big van like this you would not really feel a single tire blowing. This is a terrible event for the saddlebred community and I am so sorry for the clients who lost their horses. I know the family is destroyed by this and they should be in all of our prayers. These were magestic show horses & pony - may they "TROT on" in heaven!
I just learned of this sad situation. As owner of HorseTrailerMonitor.com the reason I am in business is to help other horse owners prevent a problem from becoming a disaster. We specialize in camera, tire pressure and temperature monitoring systems. We are "horse people helping horse people" and our goal is to help owners protect themselves & their horses. My husband & I have trail ridden in 39 of the 48 lower states so we haul a lot. My deepest sympathies to these folks on their loss. -- Christine Smith
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