Horses perished in fire that destroyed a Beecher barn: fire chief

Firefighters are investigating the cause of a fire at a barn in Beecher and trying to account for how many horses died in the incident, authorities said.

Firefighters with the Beecher Fire Protection District responded to a barn fire at about 9:35 a.m. Wednesday, at a horse ranch at 260 W. Delite Inn Road in Beecher, Washington Township. The location is about 36 miles southeast of Joliet and close to the Indiana border.

Because of calls and reports of horses still inside the building, the firefighters escalated their response by bringing in additional resources, according to a statement from Beecher Fire Chief Joseph Falaschetti.

Firefighters and residents were able to help some horses escape the fire, but it is not yet known how many others died in the fire, Falaschetti said.

There were horses that died in the fire but he did not have an exact count, Falaschetti said.

“We’re waiting for the homeowner to get us that information,” he said.

He said firefighters believe they saw five horses that died but the homeowner believes there may have been more.

One firefighter had to be hospitalized for treatment following the incident but will be released soon, Falaschetti said.

The closest fire hydrant was about four miles away, which led emergency crews to establish a rural water supply operation and have a water shuttle deliver water to the scene, Falaschetti said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Beecher Fire Protection District and a team with Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, an organization that provides resources from multiple fire departments and emergency agencies.

Falaschetti had no estimate as of Wednesday about the cost of damages from the fire.

Numerous fire departments in Will County and surrounding counties responded to the incident. The Will County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the scene.