Oscar-Winning Actress Kate Winslet Helps Rescue Richard Branson’s 90-Year Old Mother From Caribbean Inferno
- Posted on August 22, 2011 at 11:30pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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The incident was both frightening and surreal, but came with a relatively fortunate ending. In a scene made for the motion pictures, Oscar-winner Kate Winslet found herself in the middle of real life drama when she allegedly helped rescue Sir Richard Branson’s 90-year old mother after a massive fire — thought to be caused by a lightening strike — ravaged the mogul’s lavish Caribbean home.
According to Branson, there were roughly 20 people staying in the eight-bedroom mansion on Necker, his private island in the British Virgin Islands. His daughter, Holly, and his 90-year-old mother, Eve, were among the guests who were forced to flee for their lives after a massive fire tore through the home.
Thankfully, neither guests nor staff were injured during the blaze.
The Mail reports:
The Virgin entrepreneur, 61, his wife, Joan, and son, Sam, were on the island but were staying in another property around 100 yards away when the fire broke out last night.
He said the fire broke out during a storm, and Sam managed to help evacuate Winslet and other guests.
The house was ‘completely destroyed’, he added, and the fire was not yet entirely extinguished this morning.
In recent days, the Caribbean has been buffeted by tropical storms, with the one passing over Necker Island last night today picking up speed to become the first hurricane of the season.
This morning Hurricane Irene hit Puerto Rico, sending residents fleeing for shelter in refuges and knocking out electricity across half of the U.S.-administered island, including San Juan, the capital
From his devastated home on Necker Island, Sir Richard said: ‘We had a really bad tropical storm with winds up to 90mph. A big lightning storm came around 4am and hit the house.
‘My son Sam rushed to the house and helped get everyone out.
‘Kate Winslet, her boyfriend and her family were there, and Holly and some of her friends were also staying.
‘Many thanks to Kate Winslet for helping to carry my 90 year mum out of the main house to safety – she was wondering when a Director was going to shout CUT!
Branson stated that “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 and my note books which is very sad.”
“But all family and friends are well – which in the end is all that really matters … It’s very much the Dunkirk spirit here. We want to rebuild the house as soon as we can.”
The Virgin empire tycoon stated that a “really bad tropical storm with winds up to 90mph” generated a lightening strike at around 4:00 a.m.. that hit the house. The flames reportedly rose 100 feet high and spread quickly throughout the home.
According to Branson, the motivation to buy the opulent home — that rents out at a reported $53,000 to $54,000 a day – was for his wife, Joan.
“I was about 26-years-old, I was chasing this beautiful lady, trying to persuade her to come live with me and we discovered this beautiful island,” Branson said.
“I somehow managed to get the island, get the lady and get the mother of my children.”
He added, “I appreciate every moment of my life. I was born under a lucky star.”
According to The Mail, the Bransons and their guests are being relocated to six luxurious “Bali” style villas scattered throughout the island. Given what they’ve been through, that doesn’t sound half-bad at all.
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thegodfather
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:10amI saw her drag Leonardo Dicaprio’s ass out of that ship….this was a peace of cake for her.
Report Post »Joshua7
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 2:44pmWow. That’s one heck of a headline. I’m glad everyone is ok.
Report Post »TheSoundOf Truth
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 2:08pmHero.
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 12:26pmTrying to care…..trying to care…. t r y i n g t o c a r e …………nope dont care.
Report Post »for-what-its-worth
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 9:32pm@ MRSMILEYFACE
Trying to care…..trying to care…. t r y i n g t o c a r e …………nope dont care.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let’s see…you DON’T care?
Is that why you took time to make an idiotic post?!?
Report Post »rfycom
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 11:34amCate is so sexy and that is all that matters PEOPLE.
Report Post »ConanJana2011
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 5:00pmShe don’t turn me on.
Report Post »mdlwoods
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 10:26amAt this point, with all the lib-progs destroying my Country and the rest of the world, I WANT A PRIVATE ISLAND!!! Complete with my own military protection and a lib-prog detection system, kind of like a metal detector so that when people come to see me, they have to go thru the detector and if they are a lib-prog, sirens and alarms would go off and I could put them right back on the boat or plane they just got off of and send them all back to wherever they just came from!
Report Post »ConanJana2011
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 5:02pmAre you being more selective of your “friends” these days?
Report Post »WTSpike
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 10:03amWell all right Kate! You go, girl!
Report Post »mtnscott
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 9:42amMaybe they’ll install lightning rods next time. Almost every house has them in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Report Post »Elena2010
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 1:13pmExactly what I was thinking!
Report Post »SuttonShimai
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 8:45amNot to be critical or anything, but where did that fireman come from? I thought this was a small, private island. Did they actually have a fire department there? I can understand having staff living there. Some of them were volunteer fire fighters complete with equipment?
Report Post »BlackAce41
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 8:57amA look at it from Space you can see you are not to far away from Spanish town they could have flown a team out their also….
Report Post »ConanJana2011
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 5:05pmwow, that was quite an observation, wow, never thought of that,
Report Post »Mr Sanders
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 8:40amGlad everyone got out safely!
I wonder is Al “Planet’s got a temperature of a million degrees” Gore probably going to milk this natural happenstance to the Nth degree!
Report Post »chazman
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 2:48pm… that’s right. Lightning is caused by global warming.
Report Post »UlyssesP
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 8:24amThat’s nice. I’m still struggling under Obama over here. I’m being called a terrorist by the brain-dead vice-president. I’m being called racist by the HRPOSIC waving invisible tea bags in the air.
http://youtu.be/sKooYzRkSI4
Branson can afford to re-build and she is going to milk the publicity, screw them. Ok, ok, good for his mom.
Report Post »I don’t care.
jkendal
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 8:24amKate’s stock just went up in by book.
Report Post »Mil-Dot
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 8:55amI have always liked her. She has class and beauty.
Report Post »piper60
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 8:04amThis is the second time this week where actors have come to the rescue. This is why it grinds me(a non-actor) when ads say someone is a real person, not an actor. I’d say Kate is a pretty real person, and a real hero.
Report Post »ConanJana2011
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 7:59amSince it is all about the showy good life, … Mr. Branson could use some lower teeth INVISALIGN.
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 9:18amHis teeth are the product of socialised dentistry. Lots of Brits have bad teeth.
Report Post »ConanJana2011
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 5:09pmYou mean Brits have no vanity? Common, just a trifle vanity will cure your ugly smile, already.
Report Post »firehawk
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 7:54amNone of us are immune to the fates of nature. It’s what we do after that counts. Like the true pioneer he is, Mr. Branson’s already planning on rebuilding. Best of luck to you , sir.
Report Post »nappy
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 5:19amLemme get this straight you bought an ISLAND for a lady and you “somehow” managed to get her?
Earth to Richard.
Report Post »ConanJana2011
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 7:50amYeah but he was in his 20′s, maybe not so wrinkled.
Report Post »nappy
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 5:18amHAHA! Cracks me up “Oscar Winning Actress” .. As if that is even remotely relevant.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 7:09amI think probably most hollywood types would have fled for their lives, and forgot anyone else in there. It’s great that she stopped to help a 90 year old woman out, too.
Report Post »ConanJana2011
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 7:55amI agree, it is not at all relevant.
Report Post »And since it is all show, he could use some lower teeth straightening with Invisalign.
DallyWama
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 2:51amFrom ice to fire, Winslet cant stay away from tragic events.
Report Post »sissykatz
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 1:17amGlad everyone was safe. That is such a beautiful place. Have seen a tour of it and it is absolutely incredible. A fire is so devastating. I like Richard he has done good things with his money and really enjoys life.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 7:01amMorning, SISSY, hope you are asleep right now! Very tragic story, with a very happy ending, as all are safe. We are waiting in anticipation for the direction Irene is taking (one child on east coast, one on west and one in the Carolina’s – go figure). Take care.
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 12:26amGlad everyone was okay, you can always replace a house, you can’t replace a life.
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 12:05amThank God everyone is safe. Good for Kate and what she did. Branson is a good guy and I wish him well.
Report Post »Obama Fail Cant Get Up
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 12:05amYeah AJZ – that was funny….not quite as bad as inappropriate laugh at a funeral. Of course Kate may not find it too funny though.
Report Post »maizie45
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 11:52pmWeird–just saw a piece about this island on the travel channel last weekend
Report Post »TheAmericanRifleman
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 11:49pmSorry Richard. Oh, and thanks for helping start the “real” space race.
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 11:37pmWhat’s up with Kate Winslet? She gets on a boat, it sinks. She goes to an island, it burns down.
Report Post »LinkedIn G
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 11:48pmSounds like Obama’s anti-Midas touch.
Report Post »VegasGuy
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 11:49pmLMAO! Good one!
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 11:58pmAL J ZIRA
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 11:37pm
What’s up with Kate Winslet? She gets on a boat, it sinks. She goes to an island, it burns down.
________________________
LOL
Report Post »Restored One
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 12:43amShe is the “Queen of his World”. God Bless her. That is great. thank you Kate, you are part of the 10% that will lead people out.
Report Post »TheSoundOf Truth
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 2:10pmNo, you got it wrong.
When the Boston Red Sox open a new stadium, a boat sinks.
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