Six racehorses burned to death after driver flicks a cigarette into their trailer - 18th Apr 2011

Six racehorses burned to death after a driver flicked a cigarette into their trailer as they were being driven to their first start of the season.

The young thoroughbreds desperately tried to escape but were trapped in their box when the hay around them caught on fire.

As smoke started billowing from the New York bound-trailer its drivers pulled over and tried to put out the fire but they unable to save the animals.

One of the drivers sustained burns while trying to haul them out.

Police said that the cause of the blaze was a passing motorist who flicked his still-lit cigarette out of the window and into the horse box.

One of the horses is said to have belonged to Barry Schwartz, the childhood friend of Calvin Klein who co-founded his fashion empire.

Other equines belonged to well-known trainers like Rudy Rodriguez and Mike Hushion. Read More