MCPHERSON, Kan. — A barn fire near McPherson claimed the lives of two horses early Monday morning, officials said.
The McPherson Fire Department was dispatched around 7:31 a.m. Monday to the intersection of 17th Avenue and Eisenhower Road for a reported structure fire. Crews responded with two engine companies and a tender, with additional tenders from the Galva and Moundridge fire departments.
Upon arrival, firefighters found a small barn fully involved in flames. The structure had partially collapsed, with the roof falling inward, officials said. Fire crews attacked the fire from the exterior using hose lines.
Two horses located near the fire were moved to safety by bystanders and the property owners, who were working to keep them cool before firefighters arrived. However, two other horses inside the barn were unable to escape and perished in the fire.
The cause and origin of the fire are under investigation, though no foul play is suspected.