Cause of Colorado Horse Lab Fire Ruled "Undetermined"

Damages at Colorado State University Equine Research lab estimated at $12 million, cause is “undetermined”.

By Peter Young
Animal Liberation Frontline
January 20, 2012

As reported on Animal Liberation Frontline over the summer , a mysterious fire broke out overnight on July 26th at one of the country's premier horse genetics labs in Colorado, completely destroying the facility. The “Equine Reproduction Laboratory” at Colorado State University did research to benefit the horse racing and horse breeding industries.

While investigators usually release the cause of the fire within days, there was no word on a cause of the CSU fire for six months. Finally, this month investigators announced the cause of the fire has been ruled “undetermined”.

There is no indication of an animal liberation motive behind the fire. However the fire broke out overnight, and the significance of the lab would make it a strategic target.

175 horse breeders stored sometimes priceless and irreplaceable genetic material at the lab. One breeder estimated the genetic material she had stored at the lab was worth $200,000, and said – “That's nothing compared to what others have in there.”

The university has announced they will rebuild an even larger lab at the same location.