36 horses die when cavernous barn catches fire and burns 5 hours, NC county says

Thirty-six horses were killed when a “cornerstone of the walking horse community” caught fire and burned to the ground in rural North Carolina, according to investigators.

The fire erupted around 12:45 p.m. Sunday at Callicutt Stables near Seagrove, about a 95-mile drive northeast from uptown Charlotte.

“Responding units encountered an approximately 15,000-squre-foot barn ... heavily involved in fire,” the Randolph County Department of Emergency Services reported in a Feb. 15 news release.

“Despite the efforts of firefighters, the structure was considered a total loss. At the time of the fire 43 horses were boarded within the structure and 36 perished as a result of the fire.”

Video shared on social media shows some of the horses that escaped were seen wandering in traffic on the highway.

Units from eight different fire departments responded to fight the blaze, including one from neighboring Montgomery County, officials said.

It took five hours to bring the fire under control and the barn was “a total loss,” officials said. The structure was used to board horses, officials said.

Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.

A GoFundMe campaign identified the facility as the family-run Callicutt Stables, and noted the horses that survived were “heroically saved.” The campaign is seeking money to rebuild the stables.

“For decades, this barn has stood as more than just a structure — it has been a cornerstone of the walking horse community,” the campaign reports.

“Under its roof, generations of exceptional Tennessee Walking Horses were raised, trained, and always appreciated. Riders from near and far came here searching for their next show partner, their next trail companion, or simply just loved to come hang around!”

This story was originally published February 17, 2026 at 5:53 AM with the headline "36 horses die when cavernous barn catches fire and burns 5 hours, NC county says."