Two horses, cat die in fire at an equestrian complex near Winona

A large fire extensively damaged the Minnesota Equestrian Center outside Winona last week, killing two horses and a cat, authorities said.

Nearly 100 firefighters worked for more than eight hours Thursday to contain the blaze, which destroyed a barn and residence. No one was injured, but five people were displaced.

Fire crews found the barn engulfed in flames after they were called about noon to the complex off Hwy. 21 in Wilson Township.

The township Fire Department said it took about 120,000 gallons of water to put out the fire. An excavator was used to prevent the blaze from spreading through a breezeway to the facility’s show arena.

The department estimated about a quarter of the 128,000-square-foot facility was destroyed and another 45,000 square feet sustained minor smoke and heat damage.

The center features 356 stalls, two indoor arenas and two outdoor arenas. It hosts events year-round, though none was scheduled for this week.

An investigation into the cause of the fire was underway, though officials did not believe foul play was involved.

The Fire Department, which was supported by a dozen area agencies, said many of the firefighters who responded were volunteers who left jobs and canceled appointments to be there.

“The volunteer fire service as a whole is struggling to recruit new members to fill gaps in their ranks,” the department wrote on social media. “Fires like this are exactly why we need a robust, well-prepared volunteer firefighting force in Winona County.”