Lightning — Fayette, Kentucky

2016-12-18 · near Loradale, Fayette, Kentucky

Event narrative

A lightning strike caused a fire of a horse barn at the Mercury Equine Center. Twenty-three racing horses perished and the barn was a total loss.

Wider weather episode

A horse barn at the Mercury Equine Center in Lexington caught fire due to a lightning strike shortly after midnight Sunday December 19. The fire resulted in the loss of 23 thoroughbred horses and a total loss for the barn. An initial estimate put the loss of the facility and racing horses at over $2 million dollars.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (38.1800, -84.4000)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 662872. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.