Fire Badly Damages New Orleans Fair Grounds
NEW ORLEANS — A seven-alarm fire destroyed the grandstand and clubhouse of the historic Fair Grounds racetrack on Friday after the day’s horse racing had ended. No serious injuries were reported but damage was extensive.
Gas line explosions erupted as the blaze roared through the wooden structure, which was built in 1913 after a fire also destroyed the original 1872 buildings.
It is the nation’s third-oldest horse track.
At the time of the fire, off-track betting and video poker was under way in another area of the building.
No horses were reported injured.
Among the losses was an irreplaceable trove of racing photos and artifacts that had been assembled for a racing museum to be opened next year.
“First reports seem to indicate it originated in the jockey room,’ track General Manager Bryan Krantz said.
“We’ve known for some time that we’d have a problem here,” said Warren McDaniels, fire superintendent. The building had only a partial sprinkler system since they are not required by law.
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