Nine horses dead after fire erupts on Istanbul’s Büyükada

ISTANBUL - Demirören News Agency

Nine horses died and three horses were wounded when a fire broke out in a stable on Büyükada, one of Istanbul’s Prince’s Islands, on Jan. 1.

The fire broke out at 14:30 in an area where several barns are located. Witnesses who saw plumes of smoke rising from the barn called the fire brigades on the island.

Police, fire brigades, rescue service teams and medics were dispatched to the area. Additional fire brigade teams were deployed as the flames spread toward nearby woods. 

The flames were extinguished after the joint efforts of the teams.

“We do not know the initial cause of the fire. Despite the quick response of the fire brigades two barns were burnt to the ground. Nine horses died and three were wounded,” the head of the Horse-Drawn Carriages Association, Hıdır Ünal, said.

The wounded horses were taken to an animal hospital for treatment in Istanbul’s Sarıyer district.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

The poor conditions of the horses on Istanbul’s Prince’s Islands have been a widely discussed topic for years, with several footage showing horses collapsing and falling to the ground due to exhaustion.

Animal rights activists have stressed the horses suffer extremely, saying the carriages eventually lead to the death of many horses.

Activists have staged several protests previously, calling for an immediate ban on the use of horse-drawn carriages. They demand electric cars be used instead.