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Harrodsburg Fire Department Capt. Joe Monroe sprays water on some hot spots today after one of teh barns at the Mercer County Fairgrounds caught fire and burned. (Clay Jackson/cjackson@amnews.com / April 2, 2012) |
HARRODSBURG — About 30 firefighters squelched a blaze this morning that destroyed one of the oldest buildings at the Mercer County Fairgrounds.
About 2 a.m., Harrodsburg firefighters responded to a call regarding the fairgrounds on Linden Avenue, said Fire Chief Chris Dean. When officials arrived, they saw a barn fully engulfed in flames. The flames were extinguished within about 13 minutes with the help of Mercer County and Burgin firefighters, Dean said. No people or animals were hurt in the fire.
After sunrise, rubble from the destroyed barn was still smoldering as state and local fire investigators tried to determine what caused the blaze. The investigation could be completed today or within weeks depending on what caused the fire, according to Dean.
Jay Anderson, treasurer of the Mercer County Fair Board, surveyed the damage with sadness but said this year’s fair and horse show will be held as planned. “The show will go on.”
The barn is the latest of five structures that have been lost to fire in the last 15 years, Anderson said.
“It seems every time we take a step forward, we’re dealt another blow,” Anderson said. “But we’ve not missed a year, even with all the tragedies.”
The Mercer County Fair and Horse Show is the longest running fair and horse show in the United States. The 185th annual event will be July 16-28.
