Huge fire at Beyoncé’s historic New Orleans mansion being investigated as arson
The house, owned by Beyoncé, was vacant at the time of the fire. (AFP via Getty/ ROBYN BECK)
A huge fire that broke out at a home belonging to Beyoncé and Jay Z is being investigated as arson, police have said.
The fire broke out at the vacant mansion on Harmony Street in New Orleans’ Garden District on Wednesday (21 July).
The blaze at the Spanish baroque style mansion, which is almost a century old, became so huge that it took 22 firefighters two hours to get the flames under control.
Luckily, no one was hurt. Beyoncé is not believed to have been present when the fire broke out.
According to NBC News, a New Orleans Police Department spokesperson said that a call had been received reporting a “suspicious person” in the area at the time that the fire broke out.
Firefighters attend the blaze at the mansion on Harmony Street, New Orleans. (YouTube/ NOLA.com)
The department also said that the fire was being classified as arson, but added: “The report for this incident is still pending approval, so we cannot provide additional details at this time.”
Although no official statement has been given on what evidence suggests the fire was arson, “a source who was briefed on the investigation” told the The New Orleans Advocate that firefighters found books in an oven at the property, as well as a gas can.
Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy recently won her first Grammy, aged nine
Fans are currently awaiting Beyoncé’s next project, which will follow her magnum opus, Lemonade, as well as her epic visual album, Black is King.
The music legend made history at the Grammys in February, becoming the most-awarded woman and the most awarded performer in the awards’ history.
She tied producer Quincy Jones with her 28th award as she won Best R&B performance for “Black Parade”. Only classical conductor Sir Georg Solti has more Grammys, with 31.
On the same night, Beyoncé and Jay Z’s daughter Blue Ivy was awarded her first Grammy at just nine years old.
Both mother and daughter won Best Music Video for “Brown Skin Girl”, taken from Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift album and Black is King film, making Blue Ivy the second-youngest Grammy winner in history.
Although her daughter wasn’t at the ceremony, Beyoncé gave Blue Ivy a shout-out while accepting an award of her own.
I know my daughter is watching, two daughters and my son, y’all are all watching. Congratulations Blue.
“She won a Grammy tonight. I’m so proud of you, and I’m so honored to be your mommy, all of your mommys. Y’all are my babies. And I’m so proud of y’all.”
