A fire at a mansion believed to be owned by musicians Beyoncé and her husband, Jay-Z, is being investigated as possible arson after the building went up in smoke Wednesday evening in the Garden District of New Orleans.
A New Orleans Police Department spokesperson confirmed Friday that officers received reports of a suspicious person near the $3 million property.
The city’s fire department told news outlets that the property had been vacant for some time, and that 22 responders attended the scene. There were no reported injuries or evacuations, and the full extent of the damage remains unclear.
“If they didn’t get there when they did, it could have been much worse,” a department spokesperson told the New York Post, adding: “It’s a historic home.”
The fire is estimated to have taken almost two hours to extinguish, according to the New York Post.
Neighbors who did not want to be identified told local news outlet Nola.com that “people are known to use an unlocked gate to come onto and leave the property.”
The three-story building, which spans more than 13,200 square feet, was originally built in 1925 as a Westminster Presbyterian church and later turned into a ballet school. It was then converted into a luxury home.
Previous listings have described it as “ideal for creative types that want large spaces and/or like to entertain.”
According to real estate company Zillow, the property boasts seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, bold arched windows, 25-foot ceilings and a rooftop garden with views of the city — including the Mississippi River Bridge and the Superdome.
According to reports, the house was bought by Sugarcane Parkin 2015, a California-based company that has the same registered address as other companies owned by the 39-year-old and mother of three.
The company is managed by Celestine Lawson, the legal name of Beyoncé’s mother, who goes by Tina Knowles.
Earlier this year, TMZ reported that storage units owned by Beyoncé’s production company, Parkwood Entertainment, were raided by burglars, who made off with an estimated $1 million in goods. The belongings, which included bags and dresses, were stolen from a facility in Los Angeles.
In March, Beyoncé made history after winning her 28th Grammy award. She has more Grammys than any other female artist.
“I am so honored, I’m so excited,” she said at the time, adding that she had created the song “Black Parade” in a bid to “celebrate all of the beautiful black queens and kings that continue to inspire me and inspire the world.”
Source: https://wapo.st/3yxQTvJ