A pair of horses were killed in Southwest Philadelphia early Thursday, an official said, as a fire tore through a horse stable located along the 5800 block of Lindbergh Avenue.
NBC10’s SkyForce10 caught images of horses grazing nearby as fire crews worked to extinguish the fire at about 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025.
In an afternoon update, fire officials said the fire started at about 7:37 a.m. at a stable located on the 5800 block of Lindbergh Avenue and crews had placed the flames under control by about 8:02 a.m.
However, according Sarah Barnett from ACCT Philly, who spoke to NBC10’s Yukare Nakayama at the scene, two horses died in the fire.
Barnett also said the flames burned through “pop-up stables,” that were not registered with the city.
Also, on Thursday, the Pennsylvania SPCA’s Animal Law Enforcement team said that it rescued a total of 12 horses from the property after the fire.
The group shared images of some of the rescue operations. The images showed horses with hair singed and left charred by the flames.
PSCPA
PSCPA An image the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shared following a fire at stables in Southwest Philadelphia that left two horses dead.
Of the 12 rescued animals, officials with the PSPCA said that three horses needed to be sent to a special center to critical injuries.
“Today, our community was shaken by news of a devastating stable fire in Philadelphia,” said Julie Klim, CEO of the Pennsylvania SPCA, in a statement. “As news of this tragedy spreads, our Animal Law Enforcement team has been on scene since the early morning hours, working tirelessly to rescue the animals in harm’s way. We would like to thank our friends at the Montgomery County SPCA in Perkiomenville and Last Chance Ranch in Quakertown for their help in caring for the overwhelming number of horses requiring shelter at a moment’s notice.”
Officials said that ACCT Philly also responded to the scene, and assisted in transporting horses to the PSPCA’s headquarters. ACCT Philly also took a pig and a goat into their care, officials said.
Officials with the PSPCA said they are working with law enforcement officials to determine if any cruelty or neglect charges could follow the morning’s fire.
Fire officials have not yet detailed just what might have caused fire.
The PSPCA is asking anyone who may have ownership of the horses in question, or knows who may own the horses, to contact the PSPCA’s Animal Cruelty hotline at 866-601-7722 or cruelty@pspca.org.
The Pennsylvania SPCA is also accepting donations toward the rescue and care of these 12 horses, https://www.pspca.org/stablefire
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.
