More than a dozen horses killed in New York barn fire

At least 17 horses died in an early morning barn fire in the upstate New York city of Saratoga Springs - widely considered the mecca of American horse racing, officials have confirmed.

Saratoga fire officials said the blaze erupted at the Saratoga Casino Hotel harness racing track at about 02:30 local time (07:30 BST) on Tuesday, destroying a barn that housed up to 18 horses.

One horse escaped the barn with "minor injuries". No human injuries have been reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

"This is a sobering day in our industry, a horseperson's worst nightmare," the Saratoga Harness Horseperson's Association said in a statement.

Employees were just arriving to feed the horses and clean their stalls when they spotted the fire, according to a fundraising page set up for the affected horsemen. The blaze spread "too fast and too quicky", the page states.

More than $30,000 (£22,000) had already been raised by Tuesday afternoon for those who lost their horses, stables and livelihood.

Saratoga Casino Hotel Harness will hold a memorial service for the lost horses with details to be announced at a later date.

Races at the hotel were cancelled for the rest of the day on Tuesday.

The Saratoga Casino Hotel is home to live harness racing that takes place on a historic, half-mile track. Guests can watch and wager on the races.

Saratoga Springs has been synonymous with horse racing since the 1840s and has grown into one of the premier racing destinations in the US.