Roof collapse kills 3 horses in North Carolina

GASTONIA, N.C. -- A North Carolina family says that snow caved in the roof of an equestrian event space, killing three horses.

The Lovelace family tells The Gaston Gazette the roof caved in Sunday night at the building at Sunnyside Farms near Bessemer City. They discovered the three horses dead around dawn Monday. A fourth horse escaped.

Sue Lovelace spoke to the newspaper while she and family surveyed damage Monday afternoon. She says the family is heartbroken over the loss of the animals. County property records show the 24,000 square foot (2,200 square-meter) building was built in 2006 and could be rented for equestrian events.

Lovelace said the family had Gaston County officials inspect the venue when they opened it to the public to make sure it was safe.

She says it appears the weight of snow on the roof caused the collapse.