A fire at a mansion believed to be owned by musicians and billionaires, Beyoncé and husband, Jay Z, is being investigated as possible arson after the building was allegedly set ablaze Wednesday evening in the Garden District of New Orleans.
A New Orleans Police Department spokesperson confirmed today that they received reports of a suspicious person near the over 2.5 million dollars property.
The city’s fire department told news outlets that the property had been vacant for some time and that 22 responders attended the fire scene. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries or evacuations, and the full extent of the damage remains unclear.
A police department spokesperson said in an interview,
“If they didn’t get there when they did, it could have been much worse. It’s a historic home”.
That notwithstanding, according to reports, the fire is estimated to have taken almost two hours to extinguish.
Neighbors who did not want to be identified told local news outlet 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”.
Although the home is assessed at over $2.4 million, it transferred hands in 2015 at only a nominal recorded price of $100, according to city records. It had been listed on the market for 2.5 million dollars in 2013 by the previous owner, Sandra C. McNamara, records show.
According to reports, the house was bought by Sugarcane Park in 2015, a California-based company that has the same registered address as other companies owned by the 39-year-old and mother of three, Beyonce.
It is worth noting that the company is managed by Celestine Lawson, the legal name of Beyoncé’s mother, who goes by Tina Knowles.
Well, it seems some persons were on the mission to either destroying or stealing from the ace singers. It can be recalled that 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 dollars in goods. The belongings, which included bags and dresses, were stolen from a facility in Los Angeles.
However, all these tragic happenings do not stop Beyonce from shining and still be at the top. 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.”
Read also: MY MANAGEMENT IGNORED BEYONCE’S EMAIL – YEMI ALADE
