Date: Fri 19-Jan-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

barn-collapse-winter-snow-pony

Full Text:

with cut: Pony Emerges Unharmed From Barn Collapse

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

You might say that Pete was lucky Thursday morning.

Although his barn was in shambles, Pete was intact.

The 18-year old ivory-colored Pony of The Americas was minding his own

business in his barn at the Moran residence on Sugar Street near Key Rock

Road. And then some time after 8 am, the barn fell down around him, collapsing

due to the weight of accumulated wet snow on its roof.

After a call for help, the Newtown Hook and Ladder and Dodgingtown volunteer

fire companies sped to the scene to get the pony out of the dark wooden

building.

Fortunately for Pete, the place where he was standing was the only section of

the barn that hadn't collapsed, allowing firefighters to gingerly extricate

him with about 10 minutes of careful work. At about 10 am, firefighters led

the horse to safety as he walked over sections of the collapsed roof.

"I don't see any injuries," said Kim Moran, who held the skittish, animated

Pete after his eventful morning.

It is believed the pony may have been trapped in the barn for more 60 minutes

before the roof collapse was discovered. Ms Moran's daughter, Emily, owns the

pony.

Ms Moran said that after the barn's collapse, she doesn't want to let Pete

stay outside exposed to the elements, adding she will seek shelter for him

elsewhere. She plans to bring the pony to a veterinarian to have him checked

out.

As firefighters backed a fire engine down Ms Moran's driveway, she walked with

Pete across the property and onto Sugar Street. His nervous gait smooth out as

he ambled down the road shoulder.