Donkeys and Barn Fires

Question
I have read a lot of news stories about horses and donkeys that died in barn fires.  It appears the equines killed in those fires were confined to individual stalls and could not escape the barn.  What response would you expect from a donkey confronted with a barn fire or smoke in a barn if the donkey was capable of exiting the barn without any human intervention and could go to a large corral or pasture?  Do you think there is a risk of a donkey re-entering a burning or smoking barn?
Any other written reference material on the subject would be appreciated.

Answer
Hi - yes, the majority of animals killed in barn fires are confined in the barns with now means of free escape from the structure.   With regard to your question about specific behavior of a donkey when confronted with a fire - I would expect one to try to escape the building - maybe not immediately, but at least if/when conditions deteriorate further.

As for re-entering a barn, yes, there is a risk of that - you can never 100% accurately predict what an animal is going to do, unfortunately.

I hope I have answered your questions - please let me know if you have more.

Also, you can do a search for 'barn fire safety' - Laurie Loveman has some good information on her web site.