Pearle's of Wisdom: Oscar-Winning Actress Kate Winslet Helps Rescue Richard Branson’s 90-Year Old Mother From Caribbean Inferno

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Oscar-Winning Actress Kate Winslet Helps Rescue Richard Branson’s 90-Year Old Mother From Caribbean Inferno

from TheBlaze.com - Stories by Tiffany Gabbay

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.