2 people, 45 horses die in barn fire at Lebanon

A barn fire at the Warren County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Ohio, north of Cincinnati killed two people and 45 horses early Saturday morning. Lebanon Raceway is located at the fairgrounds. Ronnie Williams and James "Turtle" Edwards, who worked for horseman Kayne Kauffman, died in the blaze that destroyed barn 16 on the backstretch.

 

Ronnie Williams is the son of George Williams, who years ago was a leading driver at Lebanon, as well as one of the few leading black reinsmen in the country.

 

By late Saturday afternoon, horsemen who race at Northfield Park had plans in gear to hold a fund-raiser later that night during their racing program, and Raceway Park officials had also called. Saturday night's card at Lebanon was canceled.

 

According to local fire rescue people on the scene, the fire was reported by a person driving down an adjacent road at 4:50 a.m., but investigators believe the blaze had been burning for more than two hours by that time. The barn, which contained 80 stalls, was one of the newer ones on the fairgrounds property. By the time firefighters had arrived the roof had completely collapsed.

 

Representatives of the Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association were on the scene at Lebanon on Saturday to help with gathering information. OHHA general manager Jerry Knappenberger said there is some fire and disaster insurance through Harness Horsemen International.

 

The following horsemen lost horses in the blaze: Kayne Kauffman (10 horses), Tom Kinch (6), Mike Hines (3 Standardbreds and 2 miniature horses), Steve Hockaday (3), Dan Munson (4), Steve Rosenbaum (1), Stan Crowe (5), Tommy Dawson (2), Victor Gray (3), Ralph Lunsford (1), Scott Kinner (2), and Dr. Scott McQuinn (1 outrider horse). 

 

Firefighters from Lebanon, Franklin and other departments responded to the blaze. The fire inspector ruled out criminal acts as a cause of the fire, but did not yet identify the cause. The bodies of Williams and Edwards were found in a tack room.