Fire hits Liberty-Belle Stables in Templeton

TEMPLETON — Firefighters from Templeton and surrounding communities battled a multialarm fire at an equestrian center on Patriots Road Thursday evening.

A barn and other buildings filled with flames about 9 p.m.

"The barn is on fire. We got horses out side," said a social media post by Liberty-Belle Stables, 551 Patriots Road.

The center has a barn, an indoor riding building and a residence.

The first firefighters on the scene spotted fire in a house, close to a barn and other buildings, according to the Fire Department. There were six horses in one of the buildings, with 15 in an outdoor area.

All of the horses were quickly moved to safety, the Fire Department said.

The fire spread, eventually engulfing the riding building. The fire went to five alarms.

The house was partially damaged.

The owner, Kim Homans, was flooded with offers of help from other horse farms in the region. All of the horses have been relocated to other farms.

“I can’t believe the support. Just to walk away with nothing and how everyone is taking care of (the horses)," Homans said Friday, standing near the charred remains of buildings. "The community response has been fantastic."

Homans took over the horse farm about two years ago.

"We had just finally been getting places with our barn and making it a family environment," she said.

Templeton and state investigators are trying to determine the cause of the blaze.

"We’re fortunate and deeply grateful that no injuries were reported,” Fire Chief David Dickie said.