14 DAY TRIAL // Kate Winslet, her two children, her boyfriend, and many other guests were on Sir Richard Branson’s luxury property the Great House on Necker Island when a fire broke out in the early hours of Monday. Everybody managed to get out unharmed, but there’s almost nothing standing of the once Great House.
Branson, owner of Virgin Atlantic, often invites his celebrity friends to his £60 million private island in the Caribbean and puts them up at the Great House, a fabulous 8-bedroom property.
Just recently, he’d invited about 20 people, among whom was also his mother. He wasn’t staying with them at the House, but at a nearby villa, so there’s little he could do when the House caught on fire during a tropical storm.
His son Sam heard explosions coming from the House, which was rapidly engulfed by flames. He rushed to offer help and, with help from the other guests, managed to get everyone else outside, Branson himself says, as cited by the Daily Mail.
Winslet in particular showed signs of great courage as she whisked Branson’s mother in her arms and rushed outside to safety with her.
No one was harmed in the fire but, Sir Richard says with regret, the House has been burned down to the ground.
Around 20 people were in the house and they all managed to get out and they are all fine.
“We had a really bad tropical storm with winds up to 90mph. A big lightning storm came around 4am and hit the house. It took hold incredibly quickly, with flames 100ft high. It ripped through the house very quickly,” Sir Richard says of what he believes to be the cause of the terrible fire.
In it, he lost “thousands” of photographs and notes, together with other important documents found in his office, which was based in the House.
Nevertheless, the important aspect here is that no one was hurt – and Branson is particularly grateful to the Oscar-winning actress for helping his mother out of the burning house.
“It was she who carried my mother out of the house. She said it was like being on a film set where you’re waiting for the words ‘cut’ but they just don’t come. So it was quite surreal for her to be in a real-life situation,” he says.
“She carried my Mum out of the house. 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 adds.