Three horses killed in stable fire
Three horses have died in a stable fire in East Sussex.
The fire broke out in a barn in Robin Post Lane, Hailsham, just before 2am on Tuesday (1 December).
Tack worth around £45,000 and a number of sentimental items were also destroyed.
“The owners of the property were awoken by a young man who knocked on their front door and stated that the stable block was on fire,” said a Sussex Police spokesman.
“But unfortunately, by the time firefighters arrived, the building was alight and the three horses were unable to be saved.”
Two fire crews used foam to put out the flames and returned later that day for reinspection.
An electricity company also attended and the scene was made safe in the early hours of the morning.
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Police were investigating the cause, but have today (Wednesday, 2 December) said that it is not being treated as suspicious.
“Fire investigators are satisfied that the cause of a barn fire which killed three horses was accidental,” the police spokesman added.
Detective Inspector Neil Ralph said: “I’d like to reassure members of the public that this is a one-off, isolated incident, and there has been nothing similar over the past few weeks.”
Members of the public have taken to social media to offer their condolences to the owners of the property and horses.
H&H will post updates when they are available.
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.