A local family lost not only their horse barn but also one of their horses to a fire last week.
Owned by the Manley family, Manley Arena is well known in the equestrian world as the host of “The Oldest Barrel Race in Georgia,” according to its website. The 32nd annual Putnam County Summer Classic was held there this summer.
According to the many comments on social media made about the tragedy, the family is well-loved in the community.
A few minutes before 5 a.m. on Nov. 14, a call to Putnam County 911 resulted in the Putnam County Fire Department responding to a barn fire at the Manley property on the 800 block of Oconee Springs Road.
“Pretty much the entire barn was on fire when we got there, and the homeowners were already trying to get the horses out of the barn when our units pulled up,” Putnam Fire Chief Thomas McClain said. “They got all of them but one, unfortunately.”
Due to the dry wood that is typical of all barns, the fire spread quickly, “so it was pretty much a defensive operation for us,” McClain said, noting the entire 38-foot by 70-foot barn burned to the ground.
One of the owners reportedly was burned while rescuing the horses and was taken to the hospital by Putnam County EMS but is now home.
McClain said he requested mutual aid from the Eatonton Fire Department in fighting the fire. In all, four fire engines, the county’s ladder truck, the city’s tanker truck, and one battalion chief were on the scene in addition to the ambulance.
After extinguishing the fire, some stayed around to ensure nothing reignited, and the last unit cleared the scene at 9:11 a.m.
After visiting the scene this week, the state fire marshal said the cause of the fire is undetermined due to the degree of burn damage.
Three days later, at 7:45 p.m., PCFD responded to a car fire on Shady Dale Road, Highway 142.
“It was a passenger vehicle, and no one was injured,” McClain said. “The city had two fires, as well, in the past seven days. Sometimes we go for months with no fire, and then several happen all at once.”