Why Did Ricki Lake's Malibu Home Burn Down?

By Christine Fenno Posted Sep 19th 2010 12:39PM

Not long after sunrise on Saturday morning, firefighters responded to a 911 call from the home of talk-show-maven-turned-filmmaker Ricki Lake, and found her safely at the side of a Malibu, Calif., road with her two sons and the family dog. The beachfront paradise she was renting, however, was completely destroyed by flames that began indoors (click here to see the damage up close) and ultimately created a fire dangerous enough to shut down a portion of the Pacific Coast Highway.

Today, Lake's publicist tells PopEater that the fire (which began yesterday at approximately 7:25 a.m.) "was very scary, but she and the boys are fine," which echoes Lake's latest tweet: "Thank you everyone for your concern and well wishes...My sons, beloved dog and I are are safe and very grateful."

Meanwhile, the owners of the multimillion-dollar property were reportedly none too pleased to learn that Lake accidentally caused the fire while performing a mundane chore inside the house -- and a source even alleges to RadarOnline that the star did little to stop the flames from spreading, instead spending precious minutes rescuing her personal belongings from the home. So, what really happened?

"When our deputies arrived and contacted Ms. Lake, they determined initially through their investigation that she had been refueling some sort of portable heater, which had been next to a couch," said Lt. Rick Erickson of the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept., according to a local ABC report. "Somehow that couch caught fire. She made an effort to put the fire out but apparently some embers remained and the couch continued to ignite and eventually set the house ablaze."

Witnesses reported 30-foot flames rising in the air from the home's roof at one point, and spotted firefighters cutting into residents' gates next door in order to contain the fire and keep it from spreading.

Capt. Larry Robideaux (L.A. County Fire Dept.) downplayed the drama, telling Radar, "Ms. Lake was refueling a portable heater inside her home and accidentally caused the fire...It took crews approximately ten minutes to extinguish the fire....This has been ruled as an accidental fire. Case closed."

Still, an insider close the the landlord insists, "This has really torn the [owner] apart. They feel that Ricki was negligent in trying to refill an outdoor heater indoors....The family doesn't understand why Ricki apparently made no attempt to put out the fire...She decided to move her cars....even bring out boxes of clothes as she watched the fire burn the house to the ground....They are talking to their lawyers about suing."

Just what daytime TV needs, a Ricki Lake comeback as she defends herself on Judge Judy! Seriously, the most important thing is that nobody was injured in what appears to have been a roaring inferno of a fire.

Tags: Ricki Lake

Comments

(95)

Monday 20 September

By dsn9

Vote down Vote up Report this

I'd be concerned about the fumes in the house since it was an outdoor heater. Let's hope she had renters insurance.

I would have moved the cars and my belongings. I don't know how old the children are, but being in the car would be a safe place for them.

By nick

Are we sure she was cooking up some dope??????

By linda

JUST GOES TO SHOW IGNORANCE IS FOR ALL (EVEN THE RICH) THAN GOD NO-ONE WAS HURT.

By RobertRob

HUH Sounds like she is going down the tubes & guess when it rains it pours.
We hav fire extingue on both ends of our house here.
Guess thoes Californians R just Dummies LOL.
Where is she from any way HUH.

By Lillie Wright

She let the place burn down.It could'nt have been that bad at first if she had time to get her things out and move her cars...that's time consuming.Something else happened here and the owners should sue the hell out of her.

By Sandra

Amen.

By papi looie

that's all that pork she keeps in the house, fat burns

By Antika

Suing ... oh yes, the magic word. House still smoldering hot but the phone to the lawyer must be made. Cool!

By Jessica

Im sorry to hear about this! praying for Ricki and that she is able to rebuild!! glad her family and dogs were safe

By Jerome Crosson

Refueling a heater indoors, close to a piece of upholstered furniture ? Dumber than a box of rocks ! Is this what happens to someone who actually does not know how to do anything for thenself ?

By Becka

This is sad right before her Birthday. It is a blessing she and her kid's and doggy got out and are alright. I am sure everyone will make money somehow for all this.

By mark

Stop saying 'Ricki Lake's home.' IT WAS NOT HER HOME.

By LunnaTick

Ms? She isn't married?

By Brian

Why was there a couch next to a heating source anyway??? Then, to make it worse, she didn't grab a fire estinguisher and put it out instead wasted timne getting her personal belongings like clothes?!?!?!
What a moron! And why would Ricky Lake be 'RENTING' a home anyway...can she not afford her own? Maybe if it were HER home she would have got a fire estinguisher and put it out. After all, it was intiially contained to a couch for christ sake!
Just another brainiac moment.

By superbombastik

HAHA HAHA HAH HAHAHAHA HAHA HA HA HA....HA...HAHA HA HA !!!!!!

By mkimani16

I'm so sorry that this happened to her family. Hope she can recover. I know if I were in her shoes, I'd try to save a few valuables too; its risky to try to put out a fire, even a small one.

By Elena

There Going to sue? I thought thats why Owners of houses have INSURANCE!!! Granted she did something stupid but still these people are going to get greedy cause the woman has lotsomoney!

You would think with all that money she could buy some brains.

By RickiLake

What's all the fuss about, little people? I was once rich and famous and in California, that gives me the right to do whatever the hell I want. I burned down my rental house but at least I saved MY cars, clothes and possessions. You little people just don't understand that my fame, though fleeting and forgotten, trumps any sense of personal responsibility or good sense.

By Ali

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

If I were the landlord I'd be pissed too considering there was a still-coiled, unused HOSE right outside the door! WTF? Note to self: never rent to Ricki Lake.

Page 4 of 5