Fifteen horses and a goat died when wind-driven flames swept through stables in Jurupa Valley, fire officials said.
Eight horses were saved from the fire before dawn Monday, according to Emily Sanchez, whose family leases the property.
“We tried to save as many as we could. We tried to open the stables, but the fire beat us,” Sanchez told the Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Sanchez said her husband suffered a burn injury to his arm after fleeing with their 3-year-old son from their residence before it was consumed by fire.
She said the loss of the horses was “not only painful, it was heartbreaking.”
Neighbors have donated clothes, toiletries and other items.
“We’ve received so much love from the community. It goes to show everybody in the horse community shares the same pain,” Sanchez said.
The Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department will investigate the fire’s cause.