Kate Winslet Escapes Fire; Saves Branson's 90-Year-Old Mother
Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet and her children were among those who escaped unharmed from a fire that destroyed Richard Branson’s Caribbean home during a tropical storm on Monday.
Twenty people including Winslet, her two children, British-model Louis Dowler, Winslet’s on-and-off boyfriend, Branson’s mother, Eve, and his daughter, Holly were staying in The Great House on Necker Island.
The Virgin tycoon was staying at another nearby property with his wife Joan and son Sam, when lightening hit the main house.
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Tropical Storm Irene slammed the Virgin Islands as it headed towards Puerto Rico late Sunday and early Monday, strengthening into a hurricane with winds of around 80 mph, the U.S. National Hurricane Center stated.
Branson said that all the guests, including his 90-year-old mother were able to safely escape the burning home. He said that even though his mother could walk, the situation required fast action and it was Winslet who saved his mother.
"My mum is 90 and can walk, but it was more just to speed the process up than anything else. But anyway, she was great. She swept her up into her arms and got them out of the house as fast as possible," Branson told The Telegraph.
According to the 60-year-old founder of the Virgin empire, Winslet said, "It's [escaping the burning house] like being in a film set where you're waiting for the words 'cut' but they just don't come."
Branson lost an office and thousands of pictures in the destroyed building on Necker Island.
He posted on his blog, "The main house is completely destroyed and the fire is not yet completely out. My office was based in the house and I have lost thousands of photographs which is very sad.”
Branson stated there are plans to rebuild the house as soon as possible. He wrote, “We have a wonderful staff here and we want them to stay in work.”
The British businessman said a lot of damage was done to the home and it was not something that they would be able to “stick back together again.”
“It was a beautiful house,” he added. “But we’ll create something even more special out of the ruins.”
Branson bought the private island, a part of the British Virgin Islands, in 1978. Necker’s website described the house as the “heart of the island.”
The island can be privately rented for $53,000 a night.
