7 Horses Killed in Fire at New York Casino Hotel Harness Racetrack
Officials said about 18 horses were in the stable, and investigators are still determining the cause after the fire destroyed the barn.
- On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, a fire at the Saratoga Casino Hotel Harness Track killed at least 17 horses. The blaze broke out around 2:30 a.m. in a barn at 25 Nelson Ave.
- The Saratoga Springs Fire Department confirmed the barn housed about 18 horses and was completely destroyed. The cause remains under investigation "by the appropriate authorities."
- Emergency responders and Saratoga Casino Hotel security team members rescued "several horses" before the fire consumed the barn, ensuring no human injuries occurred during the incident.
- Officials canceled live harness racing for Tuesday following the tragedy. John Matarazzo, director of racing operations at Saratoga Casino Hotel, expressed condolences to those affected by the loss.
- Sarah Burger, Saratoga County Supervisor and Counsel for the Saratoga Harness Horseperson's Association, described the event as "pure devastation." Investigators are methodically removing remains to determine the fire's origin.
28 Articles
28 Articles
'Horse Person's Worst Nightmare' Leaves 17 Horses Dead
A pre-dawn fire tore through a barn at the Saratoga Casino Hotel Harness Track in Saratoga Springs, NY, early Tuesday, killing 17 horses and injuring one, officials said. The blaze began around 2:30am in the backstretch area, where roughly 350 horses are typically stabled, CBS News reports. No people...
Massive barn blaze kills 17 horses in famous upstate NY racing town: ‘Worst nightmare’
Emergency responders were able to evacuate several horses from nearby buildings, but a total of 17 died in the "advanced fire," the Saratoga Springs Fire Department said in a statement.
17 Horses Killed in Overnight Tragedy at Saratoga Casino Hotel Harness Track
An overnight fire at Saratoga Casino Hotel in Saratoga Springs killed 17 horses and destroyed an entire barn, leaving two trainers facing devastating losses and prompting an investigation into what caused the blaze. According to Fire Chief Aaron Dyer, the fire was reported around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday and was confined to a single barn located on the harness racing grounds. Of the 18 horses that were housed inside at the time, only one horse escaped…
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