Memorial planned
A Barn 16 Memorial Benefit to help those affected in the Dec. 5 fire that leveled Barn 16 at Lebanon Raceway — killing two grooms and 45 horses owned by 25 different horsemen — will be Saturday, Dec. 19, at 8 p.m. in the lower grandstands. Lebanon’s fall meet ends that evening.
The Richard Lynch Band will provide the music. Food will be furnished by Gary Maginnis of Kickers Restaurant and Kathy Prickett of the Track Kitchen, and there will be live and silent auctions.
- Admission/donation is $10.
- Any questions, contact Lebanon Raceway's Donna Campbell at (513) 377-3203.
- A Barn 16 Memorial Fund has also been established at Lebanon Citizens National Bank. Donations can be made at any branch.
LEBANON — Investigators from the state fire marshal’s code enforcement bureau executed an administrative search warrant at the Warren County Fairgrounds on Wednesday, Dec. 16, to check fire-code compliance at the barns.
Shane Cartmill, public information officer for the marshal’s office, said the warrant enabled entrance to locked tack rooms to make certain state codes were being followed. The search lasted about four hours.
Stalls and tack rooms of about 20 barns, storage rooms, outbuildings and even trash containers were searched.
The warrant also included an examination of fire protection systems and documentation regarding code violations.
Investigators also seized receipts, contracts and documents, receipts or contracts pertaining to the rental of the premises or rooms in the barns or structures on the premises.
State fire personnel have been examining locations on the fairgrounds property and Lebanon Raceway, 665 N. Broadway, since the Dec. 5 fire that killed two veteran grooms and 45 horses, Cartmill said.
But some areas — including barns — initially were inaccessible to state investigators, he said.
“We need to confirm that the buildings are being used for their intended purpose in accordance with the appropriate use group — or the building code category for which the building is allowed to be constructed and used,” Cartmill said.
Specific findings of the investigation will not be released, he said, noting that officials at the fairgrounds are cooperating with investigators.
Last week, Lebanon fire Chief Mike Hannigan said local fire inspectors in the past were unable to enter locked tack rooms in the barns because they did not have search warrants to do so during fire inspections.
Hannigan also said there have been ongoing problems with people sleeping in the barns.
Warren County owns the barns and the fairgrounds. Horsemen rent the stalls and tack rooms.
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