Two horses killed in SC barn fire

Two horses died and thousands of dollars of equipment and a barn were destroyed in an Indian Land fire Friday, officials said.

The fire happened around 6:30 a.m. at a farm at 9062 Henry Harris Road, said Darren Player, Lancaster County emergency management director.

Two show horses and several expensive leather saddles and other goods were lost when the barn was destroyed, Player said.

The fire is accidental and may have been caused by an electrical fence charger, Player said.

That area of Lancaster County also had lightning late Wednesday and officials are unsure if weather played a role in the fire, Player said.

Damage is estimated at at least $150,000, Player said.

The farm is east of U.S. 521, near the North Carolina border.

Firefighters from the Pleasant Valley Volunteer department, as well as departments in Indian Land, Fort Mill and Union County, North Carolina responded.

Residents in the area began posting online Friday morning that Henry Harris Road was closed at Collins Road.

Greg Nicholson, chief with the Pleasant Valley department, said his group got there at 6:26 a.m. but there was little they could do.

“A barn, stable for several horses,” he said. “It was pretty much a total loss. Heavy fire involved on arrival. They saved one little part of it, but very little.”

The official cause, Nicholson said, remains under investigation.

While two animals were lost, at least some animals escaped the fire.

“I think they said there was two that got out,” Nicholson said.

The fire happened just shy of two months after Pleasant Valley increased its coverage in the area. Starting July 1, the department has round-the-clock staffing.

Carolina Country Store, a large Indian Land business selling horse and farm gear among other items, posted on Facebook they will be helping to collect donations for the family impacted by the fire. They are taking everything from lead ropes to hay for the surviving animals.

This story was originally published September 2, 2018 at 12:01 PM with the headline "Two horses killed in SC barn fire."