Bluegrass Stockyards destroyed; cause of blaze and future of operation remain unknown

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Investigators with the Lexington Fire Department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives work to determine the cause of a massive blaze that destroyed Bluegrass Stockyards and several nearby businesses.

Days after a three-alarm fire destroyed the 70-year-old Bluegrass Stockyards and several adjacent businesses, government and business leaders looked to the future even as local and federal investigators continued to pick through the still-smoldering ruins in search of a cause.

Saturday afternoon’s massive blaze reduced the 10-acre site along Lisle Industrial Avenue on the city’s near northwest side to a wasteland of charred timber and warped metal sheeting. No one was injured in the fire, which was brought under control by a force of 120 Lexington firefighters and other emergency personnel. The next moves -- especially the question of whether the stockyards will rebuild at the site -- remain in doubt.

“At this point I don’t have direction from our board,” said Jim Akers, Bluegrass Stockyards’ chief operating officer. “The one clear directive I do have is that we will get this business back up and running as soon as possible. We’re going to move very aggressively, very decisively. ... As soon as we have factual information to take to our ownership -- hopefully by the end of this week -- we will do that. We will release an announcement of our intentions at that point.”

Bluegrass Stockyards COO Jim Akers (from left), state Agricultural Commissioner Ryan Quarles, Gov. Matt Bevin and Lexington Mayor Jim Gray talk Monday about the loss of the stockyards.

Akers stressed that the company continues to operate facilities in Mount Sterling and Stanford. He said the Lexington operation employed 56 workers in various capacities and was working to place them at the other operations.

“We had a managers call, ... I’ve kind of put the reins in their hands. Obviously we’re pushing business to them. They’re going to need resources. We’ve made that list (of Lexington facility workers) available,” Akers said. “Certain key employees, we just said, ‘Go.’ Because one of the things I want is when that customer shows up there, I want them to have a face they recognize.”

Meanwhile, the investigation into the cause continued Tuesday with help from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

“We’ve got our fire investigators and ATF out there right now,” Lexington Fire Department spokesman Joe Best said Tuesday morning. “They’re sifting through and moving metal around, trying to see if there’s another piece to the puzzle.”

The department also put out a plea to the public to provide any photographs or video taken before emergency crews arrived. Best said information can be sent to arsontips@lexingtonky.gov. He cautioned against a literal reading of the email address for tips.

“We currently have no reason to suspect this fire was intentionally set,” Best said.

On Monday afternoon, Gov. Matt Bevin, state Agricultural Commissioner Ryan Quarles and Lexington Mayor Jim Gray joined with city firefighters and other first responders to praise the emergency crews and pledge support for the lost businesses.

All three officials insisted help would be forthcoming from state and city government, but provided no specifics.

“There are programs. As to which would apply and when the timing of those is best applied are all to be determined,” Bevin said. “But I’m here both physically and just emotionally to make sure it’s clear to folks that the state will be in support of this.”

Quarles noted a personal connection to the operation as well as its importance to the livestock industry as a whole.

“For me, some of my earliest childhood memories are sitting in the sales ring with my dad. My dad used to work here when he was a college student at the UK College of Ag, so this is personal for me,” Quarles said. “But it’s also important to note that Bluegrass Stockyards is one of the most prominent livestock facilities not just in Kentucky but in the eastern United States, with Kentucky being the No. 1 cattle-producing state in the country east of the Mississippi. It’s important that we assist Bluegrass Stockyards with what’s next.”

Gray saluted the efforts of the emergency crews.

“Everybody who’s looking at this ... has seen what an extraordinary job our Lexington Fire Department did. In fact, all of our pubic safety agencies working together demonstrated just what a fine force we have right here in Lexington,” Gray said. “An extraordinary job: 120 firefighters active and on relief duty were here and units from across the city. Chief (Harold) Hoskins just been on duty as interim chief for two weeks, and his command presence was just extraordinary.”

Indeed, the blaze covered acres, spreading a thick cloud of black smoke that spurred the Fire Department to warn nearby residents to remain indoors with heating and air conditioning units turned off for a time on Saturday. Officials with the state Department of Environmental Protection aided with air quality testing and said the threat from “fine solids,” which can be particularly harmful to those with respiratory illnesses, had passed by Sunday.

Council member Shevawn Akers, in whose 2nd District the stockyards were located, said the local government’s response would match the magnitude of the loss.

“The fire was a tragic loss for a 70-year-old institution with rich history in Fayette County. Its location on Lisle Industrial was a central hub for regional farmers to buy and sell livestock in Kentucky. I am grateful that no human lives were lost and for our Fire Department who worked tirelessly for more than two days to contain and extinguish the fire, to prevent further loss of businesses and to ensure citizens remained safe from harm,” she said. “Rest assured that (the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government) will work ... to restore the Bluegrass Stockyards and other businesses in Fayette County.”

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