Un incendio distrugge la casa di Russell Coutts e uccide un soccorritore
LifeSailSui generisVela 28 Aprile 2009 Zerogradinord 0
LifeSail on Sui Generis – Arrowtown – Un incendio violentissimo ha distrutto completamente la casa del CEO di BMW Oracle Racing, Russell Coutts. L’episodio, avvenuto ad Arrowtown, cittadina localizzata nel sud della Nuova Zelanda, è costato la vita a un vicino di casa 48enne del talento neozelandese che, con ogni probabilità a causa di un arresto cardiaco, ha perso la vita mentre tentava di intervenire per contenere le fiamme.
Immersa in un parco di oltre 40 ettari e risalente al 1870, la villa era stata ristrutturata sulla base dei progetti definiti nel 2007 e al momento dell’incendio era totalmente disabitata. La Polizia, che sta eseguendo i rilievi con l’aiuto dei Vigili del Fuoco, ha confermato che nella giornata di ieri a recarsi presso l’abitazione erano stati unicamente gli operai dell’impresa incaricata di eseguire i lavori di ristrutturazione.
A rendere proibitivo il compito dei mezzi di soccorso, intervenuti in forze su segnalazione della moglie dell’uomo deceduto, è stata la lontananza della costruzione dal pozzo più vicino e il basso livello dell’acqua al suo interno. I Vigili del Fuoco, infatti, hanno dovuto stendere più di 150 metri di manichette e si sono visti ben presto sopraffatti dalle fiamme.
FIRE DEATH AT RUSSELL COUTTS’ HOUSE
[Source Stuff.co.nz] Fire investigation officers have spent the morning examining the burnt-out remains of a luxury house on the Crown Terrace, above Arrowtown, following a major blaze last night.
A 48-year-old man collapsed and died at the scene of the fire, which started about 7pm. It is believed his death was not related to the fire. The man was a neighbour.
Both fire and ambulance staff tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate him. Police are yet to release his name or the cause of death.
The house, unoccupied at the time, belongs to America’s Cup yachting star Russell Coutts who is understood to be overseas. The two-storey property was being renovated. The property sits on a 41ha section and has a rateable value of $4.5 million.
Police confirmed builders had been at the site yesterday.
Arrowtown chief fire officer Gary Hall said firefighters were called back to the house twice early this morning to tackle hotspots that had flared up. That had been expected because it had been a difficult job to tackle, he said. Firefighters were unable to get near the fire or into the heart of the house because of the structural damage.
Water supply was also an issue at the remote house. Water was pumped from of a pond about 150m from the house but low water levels and high silt levels made that challenging.
Senior constable Julian Cahill said inquiries into the fire were continuing. Police would also speak to the dead man’s wife, who called fire and ambulance after he collapsed. The cause of his death should be confirmed this afternoon.
More than 30 firefighters from Arrowtown, Frankton and Queenstown volunteer brigades attended the fire which was visible from various sites in the Wakatipu Basin.
Renovations planned for the house, thought to have been built in the 1870s, were outlined in a 2007 resource consent application. The 697 square metres extensions planned included a study, a conservatory, a garage with a gym and games room on a second floor, a guest wing, a building containing a lap swimming pool and a wine cellar.
Landscaping of the grounds included terracing, the building and fencing of a tennis court, and a minor realignment of the driveway.
No comments so far.
Be first to leave comment below.