Nine horses were lost at a Wright County farm after a fire ripped through a barn early Monday morning.
Wright County Sheriff’s Office communications staff received a 911 call around 12:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 29 of a barn fire at a horse ranch located at 2187 Bolton Dr NW, Chatham Township. Upon arrival deputies found the barn to be fully engulfed.
Initial indications are that an electrical fire started in the barn, knocking out electricity to the ranch. Manager Ronald Winget, 42, was able to move some of the horses away from the burning structure with the assistance of Wyatt Stueven, 17 of Howard Lake. Stueven had noticed the fire as he was driving by and stopped to give assistance.
Fire Departments from Buffalo, Maple Lake, and Monticello responded and were able to extinguish the fire before it spread to surrounding buildings. It was found that nine horses perished in the fire. Both Ronald Winget and Wyatt Stueven suffered smoke inhalation. Winget was transported by Allina Ambulance to the Buffalo Hospital. Stueven was transported by a private vehicle to an area hospital for treatment.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.