RACEHORSES BURNED.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 632, 7 January 1914, Page 5

RACEHORSES BURNED.

FIRE AT STABLES. As a result of a fire in the stables attached to the Harp of Erin at Ellerfllie on Sunday evening two wellknown racehorses were killed and there were injured, one seriously. The names of tho horses are:—■ Phroso, a valuable mare owned by Mr G. F. Moore. Burnt to death in her box. Lady MeuschikofF, a mare owned by Mr D. Thompson, Wanganui. Severely burnt and afterwards shot. Koval Arms, a gelding owned by Mr J. George, New Plymouth. Severely burnt about the head and neck, but will probably recover. Crown Pearl, a gelding owned by Mr J. George, New Plymouth. Cut und bruised, but not severely. Denise Orme, a mare owned by Mr A. Hall. Rather badly burnt round the nock and over the tail. The tire was of short duration, but it waa fierce, and the spectacle presented by the suffering animals was a sickening one. The boxes were pad locked, and the kevs were not available on the instant, so the doors were burst open. The flames apparently started in the feed box. and they had such a hold on the box occupied by Phroso that no attempt could be made to savo tho unfortunate animal, which was incinerated in an incredibly short space of time. The door of Lady Mens>'hikoff'a box was burst open, and the mare, mad with pain and terror and quite blind, galloped round the yard and paddock with mane and tail blazing, and the cover on her back burning fiercely. It was no easy task catching the frightened mare, but when she was secured and an attempt made to remove the burning cover, the skin came with it. The animal whs in great agony, and Dr W. C. Ring declared her case to be hopeless, and hal her shot. As the doors of the boxes were burst open, the horses stampeded wildly about the yard, screaming with pain, and it was in running into a fence that Crown Pearl sustained cute. As opportunity offered they were secure and quietened, but for some time tho terrified and suffering animals made pandemonium. Amongst the occupants of boxes which escaped without injury were North East, Unity, and Cheddar, which had recently changed hands at £SOO. No cause can be assigned for the fire, unless it ba the dropping of a match or cigarette in the straw. The attendants had been on duty 20 minutes previously.