Barn fire kills 6 horses in southeast Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A half-dozen horses died as a result of the fire that broke out early this morning, destroying a big rig and a barn.

The fire broke out after 7am on Allison Road at Mykawa. It's unclear what exactly happened, but both the rig and the barn were on fire when crews arrived on the scene.

"In my imagination when the parents said the stables were on fire I thought I was going to see that complete row. I didn't expect it to be this. My horses are on that side," said Victor Quiroda, who along with his father, owns the property.

Firefighters told Eyewitness News six horses died because of the flames. We learned five were trapped inside the burning stables. Another was able to escape yet was badly burning. The injured horse was later put down.

"One animal that did make it out was suffering. It's hard to watch," said Steven Taylor with the Houston Fire Department.

Quiroda explained he received a call about the fire around from his dad, raced over, and arrived around 7:15am. He said he feared the fire would spread to his parents houses.

"We're here, you know. We love horses, no matter whose they are, if they are ours or not," said Quiroda. "It's just painful to see something happen like that."

Quiroda rents out stables at the property. The horses killed belonged to other owners. A few horse owners were on the scene Tuesday morning were too upset to talk about the loss.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.