161 horses evacuated after fire breaks out in Big E barn

The West Springfield Fire Department said they successfully evacuated all of the horses on Friday night.

A barn on the Big E fairgrounds caught fire on Friday night, the West Springfield Fire Department said, prompting the evacuation of all 161 horses that were housed there.

The fire department said in a statement that they received 28 calls around 11:45 p.m. alerting them to the fire.

The statement said the sprinkler system inside the barn contained the fire, and kept the horses safe. The Massachusetts Fire Service’s Drone team swept the area and determined all 161 horses are home safe.

Multiple agencies responded to the fire, including the West Springfield Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, fair exhibitors, and Eastern States Exposition Staff.

The fire department said they have begun an investigation into possible causes.

A spokesperson from Big E told Boston.com the State Fire Marshal has determined the fire was not “criminal in nature,” although it remains under investigation, and that the horses’ injuries were not severe.