FIRE SALE and new admiration for those eventing guys

[Bellfleur]

And to think I used to giggle at their dressage tests!

On January 12th event rider Peter Green saved my entire barn / indoor complex from burning to the ground. Peter Green's selfless bravery and quick thinking (along with that of my farrier - Levi) prevented the possible deaths of 16 horses and my entire life going up in flames!!! At the expense of his F350 dually I might add. Talk about knowing how to think under pressure!

It was 2pm and I was in the house changing while my farrier (Levi) and my farm manager (Julie) were up at the barn. She had just returned to the barn after dumping the last of the stall cleanings in the manure pile. She parked our Polaris Ranger (yes turned it off!)about two feet from the barn and went inside to get a horse ready to show to a potential buyer.

Peter Green had been driving by my farm and he turned around and came flying up my driveway. He had seen from the road what no one else had noticed a huge cloud of black smoke. AND had cared enough to come to help!! How many people would have just kept on driving thinking we had everything under control!

Our Polaris had somehow caught on fire and was entirely engulfed in flames about 25 feet high (sitting about 2 feet from the barn) and had started to catch the barn on fire. He drove up behind the ranger and pushed it out of the way with his truck to a safe 15 feet from the barn while the thing was still burning with flames 20 feet in the air!!!

He then ran inside and grabbed a fire extinguisher, sprinted upstairs to the loft and calmly put out the fire that was already burning in the rafters. All the time kept everyone here calm enough to deal with the situation intelligently.

After that was done and we could hear fire trucks on the way we went outside while the roof was still smoldering and there is his truck with flames now under the hood. His using his truck to push the flaming ranger out of the way had caught his truck on fire!!! His truck ended up with the entire thing turning into slag also.

I was pretty useless (unless you count crying hysterically the whole time!)except for trying to move horses out of the barn. Levi had to move several of the horses including one esp. fractious recently gelded BIG guy out of the stalls. Plus running buckets of water and putting out flames on the side of the barn. Julie was the only one to coax one of the FEI ponies out of her burning stall.

The potential buyer of the horse directed fire companies up the drive and caught one horse that had gotten loose. When everything was over with all the horses and people were safe, all fires out, everything done except the cleanup she said Oh having a Fire Sale today?

Thank God for Peter Green and Levi!!

OK so now we have the fire department coming in for training on how to use fire extinguishers. Plus NO parking of any vehicles near the barn.

A word of caution to everyone. Know how to use those things that the insurance company makes us have (prior to this I thought they were pretty useless since I never needed one before!) I know how stupid can I be right! We are going out today to replace the used ones and buy additional ones. The only reason I had them here was that my insurance company said I needed them. Thank God for so many things working in our favor and esp for Peter Green.

I guess we now get to see how that good that insurance through USEF is!!

Forever thank you Peter and Levi!!!

[Bogey2]

wow! I am so glad everyone is ok...and I am off to replace my fire extinguishers today!

[Sabovee]

So glad everyone is okay.

HUGE KUDOS to Peter.

[FLeckenAwesome]

WOW!!! I am so glad that everyone is okay. Way to go Peter!!!!

[leakyb]

And to think I used to giggle at their dressage tests!

On January 12th event rider Peter Green saved my entire barn / indoor complex from burning to the ground. Peter Green's selfless bravery and quick thinking (along with that of my farrier - Levi) prevented the possible deaths of 16 horses and my entire life going up in flames!!! At the expense of his F350 dually I might add. Talk about knowing how to think under pressure!

It was 2pm and I was in the house changing while my farrier (Levi) and my farm manager (Julie) were up at the barn. She had just returned to the barn after dumping the last of the stall cleanings in the manure pile. She parked our Polaris Ranger (yes turned it off!)about two feet from the barn and went inside to get a horse ready to show to a potential buyer.

Peter Green had been driving by my farm and he turned around and came flying up my driveway. He had seen from the road what no one else had noticed a huge cloud of black smoke. AND had cared enough to come to help!! How many people would have just kept on driving thinking we had everything under control!

Our Polaris had somehow caught on fire and was entirely engulfed in flames about 25 feet high (sitting about 2 feet from the barn) and had started to catch the barn on fire. He drove up behind the ranger and pushed it out of the way with his truck to a safe 15 feet from the barn while the thing was still burning with flames 20 feet in the air!!!

He then ran inside and grabbed a fire extinguisher, sprinted upstairs to the loft and calmly put out the fire that was already burning in the rafters. All the time kept everyone here calm enough to deal with the situation intelligently.

After that was done and we could hear fire trucks on the way we went outside while the roof was still smoldering and there is his truck with flames now under the hood. His using his truck to push the flaming ranger out of the way had caught his truck on fire!!! His truck ended up with the entire thing turning into slag also.

I was pretty useless (unless you count crying hysterically the whole time!)except for trying to move horses out of the barn. Levi had to move several of the horses including one esp. fractious recently gelded BIG guy out of the stalls. Plus running buckets of water and putting out flames on the side of the barn. Julie was the only one to coax one of the FEI ponies out of her burning stall.

The potential buyer of the horse directed fire companies up the drive and caught one horse that had gotten loose. When everything was over with all the horses and people were safe, all fires out, everything done except the cleanup she said Oh having a Fire Sale today?

Thank God for Peter Green and Levi!!

OK so now we have the fire department coming in for training on how to use fire extinguishers. Plus NO parking of any vehicles near the barn.

A word of caution to everyone. Know how to use those things that the insurance company makes us have (prior to this I thought they were pretty useless since I never needed one before!) I know how stupid can I be right! We are going out today to replace the used ones and buy additional ones. The only reason I had them here was that my insurance company said I needed them. Thank God for so many things working in our favor and esp for Peter Green.

I guess we now get to see how that good that insurance through USEF is!!

Forever thank you Peter and Levi!!!

Wow! Scary story but thank goodness it had a happy ending (except for the vehicles!). What luck Peter Green was driving by and saw the smoke.

I used to hold clinics at Morven Park in VA and had to be the parking police because they had stringent rules about NO parking within 25' of the barn. I guess we now know why!

[ise@ssl]

So glad everything worked out. Fire extinguishers are important and make sure you hang them where you GET TO THEM.

Also consider keeping vehicles parked away from your buildings. Even some hay or straw on the ground can catch fire if a car or truck isn't running properly.

[merrygoround]

How did the Polaris go up???

What caused it?

Honda used here but frequently parked in or near barn, but not the "mule" type.

My best to Peter.

So glad it all turned out with so little damage, except to your nervous system. But hey, you run a barn. ;)

[JSwan]

Don't post here much but popped in to say I'm glad everyone is ok. Thank God he was there and had the presence of mind to act quickly.

If your community has a "citizen of the year" award or other type of recognition he certainly deserves a nomination. Maybe contact a local reporter to do a story and work in a barn safety angle, or profile your savior, that sort of thing.

Best wishes.

[Dirty Little Secret]

A truly amazing story that should be posted for everyone. I recently had a fire in a home that I was house sitting but was able to extinguish it with a discovered fire extinguisher. The next day I purchased fire extinguishers for all of my cars, my horse trailer, and 3 for my small barn (overkill? probably but I didn't care).

What an amazing hero and story. Glad you are all safe!

[allpurpose]

Thank goodness you are all okay, and bless Peter Green. You are truly lucky to have a guardian angel right here on earth looking out for you!

[WBLover]

What a GREAT guy, and everyone else, and so glad people and horses are all okay!

People park their tractors in or near barns all the time--I never thought of that!! I'll have to rethink things.....

[Dune]

Edit your first sentence. :yes::winkgrin: He's a hero and you have quite an exciting life!! Wow! Glad everyone is OK. :cool:

[MEP]

Kudos to Peter Green - I second the notion that he be nominated for an award somewhere - Not only did he save your barn and animals, and avoid potential injury to people, but he did it at his own personal peril and with damage/loss of his vehicle. Wow, what a guy!

[goobs]

I had my heart in my throat reading this!!!! When one thinks of the lives that could have been lost - amongst other things! Now - how is Peter going to get a new truck? He is the consummate HERO! I think Eventing is good training for thinking and reacting under pressure and this goes to prove it!

[buck22]

just got chills reading this, thank g-d you and everyone are alright!

[kip]

You just lived through one of my worst fears. I am so glad to hear that everyone is made it through alright!

[Reiter]

I second (or third) getting Peter nominated for an award! Definitely the kind of guy you want around in an emergency! I would also call your local TV station. I think it would make a great story! Thanks for sharing! I too will go out and update my barn fire safety!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dwblover]

My goodness, that story could be a movie on the Hallmark channel one day.:eek: Sounds like you were surrounded by all the brave, fast-acting, selfless people you needed on that day. Amen for that!

[Happy Feet]

So glad to hear everyone is okay! After hearing of a very tragic barn fire some time ago, I have three fire extingishers in my barn but, now that I think of it, it would be very good to have in the trailer also....
Again glad to hear everyone was okay, and kudos to Peter Green !!!

[KWNic]

thrilled to hear that everyone, humans and animals were unhurt, everything else can be replaced !
This was a lesson learned for me today, not only about the extinguishers, but about parking the car close to the barn....I have always been guilty of that. I will think of this story forever now.....
Kudos to all of you involved and the quick thinking....thank God everyone is OK.

[HFSH]

Oh wow, thank GOD for Peter! :eek:

I too have a Ranger and I use it to haul manure. We've actually had manure start smoking under the dump, so I've hosed it. It does scare me that it may start on fire. I have fire extinguishers in my barn, and know how to use them, but I worry that something will happen after I walk off (like your BM).

[Bellfleur]

YES THANK GOD FOR PETER!!! He was beyond amazing.

There is a recall for the Polaris Rangers concerning a leak in the fuel tanks where the entire unit burns to the ground much as mine did. I would never have one of these anywhere near my barn again. This thing actually had flames shooting 20 to 25 feet in the air so it wasn't like there would have been any time to get out of its way!

My farm manager could easily have been riding this when it happened. She frequently leaves her dog on stay in the Ranger. I would never own another one of these. The fire marshal is investigating.

I am replacing with a Kubota diesel model. Diesel is way less flammable for use in and around a barn. I will never allow tractors or UV with gas in or around my barn again.

Since this happened to us I heard another story of my vets barn burning to the ground years ago when they were cleaning stalls with a tractor also gas powered.

[HFSH]

Do you know what year(s) Ranger has the recall? We had a new gas cap on ours as it leaked terribly (talk about fire hazard!)

I think I'm with you, go for diesel. Heck, I drive a diesel car, might as well have ALL the farm equip. be diesel.

[slc2]

Thank god everyone is safe. Peter Green is the best! It' must be leaping over all those huge fences on cross country and all those last minute saves that teaches eventers to respond like that, :)

I wonder...why don't cars have a fire suppression mechanism? There's no reason why heat couldn't trigger a fire suppression foam to be released, it would just need to be calibrated to release above a certain temperature. Even if it didn't entirely stop a fire, it could prevent such a large fire and subsequent damage.

[Bellfleur]

The recall was on the 2007's. I had a 2006 manufactured 8 months before the recall date but since it with no warning went sky high I would think it is probably the same issue.

I think as fast as this thing went if my anyone had been driving it or even sitting on it at the time they would have been incinerated as well.

Get your dealer to look at it and if you can replace it. This was truly horrifying. All the more so because it was so unexpected. I have always driven my equipment and never had the thought cross my mind that it could go so incredibly fast!!

If I had others I would be out replacing them with diesel models. Even Peter's diesel truck did catch on fire and completely burn down to slag but at least it burned very slowly (relatively) and was not shooting flames 20 feet in the air. Had his truck been gas and it had gone it would have taken the barn with it in a huge inferno also.

[SaddleFitterVA]

Thank goodness you had the fire extinguishers!

And, for Peter's sake, I do hope your insurance company works with his in getting his truck replaced fast! He should not suffer for his good deed!

I am very glad your gorgeous barn is safe with minor damage.

[srg]

OMG, Terry!!!

I'm so glad Peter was there and that all are OK. What a horrifying experience! As bad as it is, I am relieved it wasn't worse. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

Geez. I am shaking just reading the re-telling of this.

HUGS!!!!!

[Stacie]

And, for Peter's sake, I do hope your insurance company works with his in getting his truck replaced fast! He should not suffer for his good deed!

So what does an insurance company say when you purposely run your vehicle into *another* burning vehicle? I'm not sure that they would care that he was being a hero...

I wonder if you should offer to pay the increase in insurance premiums that he is surely going to suffer....

[Bellfleur]

Stacie what a negative way to put something. Some people on these boards can think up something negative about any situation. What a lovely help you are. NOT! I am not usually ticked off by anyones response as I usually find their thoughtlessness ridiculous but thanks Stacie for bringing out something really negative.

Thank goodness it was NOT you or someone like you driving down the road!!

Please rest assured Stacie that I would not allow Peter "suffer' for his actions and his help. I am unsure why you would even suggest I (or the other boarders that were here) would allow such a thing to happen.

I think it is why lots of people would not have stopped to help and why his selfless actions were so extraordinary! Yes, next time by all means lets think of what it will cost us to save horses and peoples lives before we jump in there and rescue someone. Somehow I doubt that this even crossed Peter's mind. He knew he needed to help and he did at great risk to his own life and property without thought for the cost to him. True definition of a Hero.

Somehow I do not think any insurance company is going to increase his premiums since he saved a facility that was worth well over 1.5 million dollars not to mention the lives of some 16 exceptionally expensive (INSURED with the same company) horses and the people in the barn that would have tried to get them all out. They would want someone to help their client out also. Also my insurance company will be buying him a new truck NOT HIS so he will have no reason to have his insurance rates go up.

I have my insurance through the USEF so if any insurance company does understand what was at risk here it would be them. I cannot see them doing the wrong thing in this case. If they do, believe me there will be hell to pay.

Hi SRG, it was pretty ugly and horrifying. I am still coughing up smoke and having nightmares. I do keep getting up to check the barn constantly now. just do not use those gas powered machines in the barn. There is a recall on the stupid things too. Just not my mine by 8 months or so! thanks for the kind words! Going tonight?

[egontoast]

These guys are heros. People who are willing to step in and help other people in a dangerous situation deserve a lot of credit.

You were so lucky, Bellfleur!:)

[MelantheLLC]

Hey, I tried out a horse a few months ago at Peter's place. I met a pre-hero! :winkgrin: What a guy! Very down-to-earth and I can easily see him doing what he did. We should all have (and be) such competent, courageous and caring neighbors.

I'm very glad that he could help and sooooo glad that there was no gas tank explosion or such while he was trying to push the burning truck.

As to his truck, I'm sure that Bellefleur's liability insurance will cover that. So hopefully he won't even have to pay a deductible I wouldn't think.

[mmt]

Hi Terry,

What Peter did is amazing and thank goodness that he did! This could have had a much different ending then the barn and all the horses being saved. I really do hope he gets some recognition! And I am happy that you are okay.

Marne

[Stacie]

Oh Bellfleur, it was not a negative comment at all. I'm glad that your insurance company will be buying him a new truck.

[SaddleFitterVA]

I would like to think I'd have the presence of mind to push a burning vehicle away from a building with my truck, but that is one of those things that most people don't know until they are in the situation.

I'm so glad that Terri's barn was saved and largely undamaged, I've been there a few times and it is gorgeous! But, as my truck and trailer are in the shop this week for maintenance and a few extras, I am very aware this week of how much I miss my truck/trailer when it is gone for more than a few days.

I am sure that you will make sure Peter comes out of this unharmed financially speaking, regardless of how the various insurance companies work it out.

[Pookah]

What a wonderful story. So glad that everyone was okay!

[Coppers mom]

Giggle at our dressage tests? I'd love to see you ride a 4* horse and attempt a lengthening or lead change.

Still, I'm glad that your barn was ok. How lucky for him to show up!