12 horses dead after barn fire outside Bloomington

Posted on February 7, 2022

*The cause of the fire has not been determined. (Photo courtesy HOI ABC)*

MCLEAN COUNTY – 12 horses are dead and another one is in veterinary care after a fire ripped through a barnyard Saturday night.

The owner of the site, Kristy Doyle, confirms the fire happened east of Bloomington along Route 9, about three miles east of the Central Illinois Regional Airport.

10 horses died in the fire, with another two later euthanized. The horses had six different owners in total. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

According to the Breezy Bluff Riding Academy, all of the horses were trained American Paint Horses.

Doyle issued a statement earlier Sunday, thanking first responders for their assistance:

“I would like (to) send a huge thank you to all the fire departments that came out (this) morning to help! I counted 17 emergency vehicles at one point and I know they came from Ellsworth, Downs, Leroy, Octavia, Saybrook-Arrowsmith, Colfax, Cooksville, and probably even more (sorry if I missed any). I think everyone east of Bloomington sprang into action to help fight this fire in horrible weather conditions.”

The Illinois Paint Horse Association is accepting donations – more information on how to donate is available at this link. A GoFundMe has also been made to help the barn owner and the other boarders who were keeping their horses there. A link to that can be found here.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…