September 20th, 2010
01:51 PM ET
Ricki Lake loses Malibu rental home in fireRicki Lake and her sons escaped tragedy after the actress's Malibu rental home burned to the ground over the weekend. The Los Angeles Times reports that Sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call from Lake's home at 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 18 and arrived to find the former talk show host, 41, standing safely outside along with her sons Owen, 9, and Sebastian, 13, as well as their dog. The wooden home was completely engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on the scene, reports the Times. After 20 minutes, the fire was extinguished, but the house was completely destroyed. As for what might have caused the fire, Lt. Rich Erickson of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department's Malibu/Lost Hills station told the paper, "It appears that she was refueling some sort of portable heater when a couch caught fire and that set the whole house ablaze." "Thank you everyone for your concern and well wishes," Lake tweeted hours after the incident. "My sons, beloved dog, and I are safe and very grateful. Xoxor."
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If you would like to find a rental in Malibu checkout Maliburents.com.
Her dog is beloved but not her kids?
What a beautiful woman – glad her and her family are safe and sound. Now, need a place to stay in Tucson?
I'm sure she was just setting up an outdoor heater on the back porch so her friends Randy and Evi Quaid would have a place to sleep when they stopped by for a visit.
Refueling a heater? What is she, flat broke? How about you just turn up the thermostat?
Has anyone considered that it was an OUTDOOR heater and that it was near an OUTDOOR couch? Outdoor living areas are popular, and have been for even longer among the rich and famous. It was a wood house, it's not surprising that it would catch the house on fire. People have accidents, even while being extremely careful. It's lovely how easily people judge her regarding a situation they know very little about.
I forgot she existed.
Ricki Lake?
Jesus, this is a slow news day.
How about a little common sense folks...
Refueling a heater INDOORS???????? DUHHHH
Way to go Chuck!
A little common sense goes a long way! I believe the space heaters have a sticker on them advising not to fill indoors and to wait for heater to cool off before refilling... Duhhhhhh
When will people learn to not fool with any type of fuel on their own? Stupid.
I feel sorry for the owners of the house that she burned down by her careless negligence.
And we should care? Why? Where is the coverage on Imam Rauf's association with a 9/11 truther wackjob and his slum property in NJ? Where is the coverage on the "bearded Marxist" running in DE?
Miz Lake is an actress?! Okay. Maybe twenty-two years ago in the 1988 version of Hair Spray. But seriously, what acting has she done recently? Not a freakin' thing. There's got to be a statue of limitations on being an "actress."
portable heaters that run a gasoline? That's just crazy. You couldn't run it in a house, the CO2 would kill you.
Rob, ever heard of kerosene?
Ricki Lake is a partisan liberal stooge. It is not surprising that this started at her hand. Thankfully, nobody was hurt. She should be monitored for the potential of hurting her kids though.
All of her possessions are in a better place now.
as a former californian, i can agree, when the wind comes off the water there along the coast it can be down right cold. summers in san clemente ment keeping a blanket near you during the over night periods.
A portable heater? Who in the frick would be refueling a portable heater in September?!?!?! What a highly intelligent person – not!
Maybe insurance fraud? I know it's a rental, but maybe she needs some $$$ so she's filing rental insurance to cover her possessions.
Where was her husband and father of her children?
WHAT? It was a rental home. It wasn't even hers. Sheesh. Talk about over-sensationalizing.
Who cares – really....
Hopefully she will make the homeowner whole for her negligence.
So she was refueling her portable heater inside of her home never a good idea and usually those are for outdoor use only if they burn off deisel or butane or whatnot. Was she lighting it at the same time she was refilling? and on the couch cmon? Someone needs there stacks replenished.
Miss Rikki Lake didn't even own that house......it was a rental......it was careless what she was doing but I am glad all came out OK. Lets just hope the owners are more understanding.
How do you know it was a rental ? I feel sorry for her and her boys.
Billi, the article clearly stated it was a rental...in the first sentence ???
Thank goodness, everyone is safe....
I miss her. They should bring back Ricki and Jenni Jones shows.
Glad everyone is safe...
Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki Go Ricki !
Hmmm, rental home. great way to get out of a lease
Who's Ricki Lake?
Good. She's a cancer on America.
Another has been looking for publicity........
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Thank the Gods that her and her family are safe. Best wishes to her and her's.
Main thing is that no one was killed.think the gods for that!
All a publicity stunt. It will make for an emotional, montage filled, afternoon episode. Jk, that suchs for her.
Her show hasn't been on air in years.
dummy
Why do people tweet in the middle of their tragedy. That is pathetic.
They feel the need to communicate. That's what twitters do and the facebook...etc...junkies. Constant communications and social exchanges leave little time for reflection and creativity. It is a disease.
Not sure what "in the middle of a tragedy" means to you, but the article says "hours later." Seems natural to me to want to get the word out that she and her family are alright. I imagine she called close family and friends, but it's far easier to get the message out to others with social media.
scam, what are you smokin'? It is not Spring in Malibu, it is Fall and it is cool at night, so lots of people use portable heaters on their decks or other areas to warm themselves. When it is a cool evening, I use an outdoor heater. Sheesh, what a maroon!
It is Spring in South America. The comments come from all over the world... easy to forget about opposite seasons.
I suppose you refuel it on your couch too?
You must mean "Moron" because Maroon is a great color. But I agree, people don't realize how cold it gets on the coast at night. This has been a really cool summer actually. I am just glad her and the kids are okay.
LJ, "What a maroon" is off an old Bugs Bunny cartoon......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_Kh7nLplWo
and a moron too!!
It was insurance fraud...heater in malibu in spring go figure
Funny...she will get away with it
Spring? What hemisphere are you living in? This is North America – it's Autumn. lol
A heater...hein? what kind of heater? makes no sense at all. I have difficulties with that visual. Could it be what went on with Richard Prior when he set his face on fire? hmmmmm.
It's a gas-operated heater.
I don't know what Richard Pyor used to set himself aflame but he was blasted on drugs and trying to kill himself.
Gets chilly along the immediate coast in LA this time of year.......former resident here .
It's September .... that would make it FALL not SPRING you dummy. It is getting cooler at night and in the mornings here so a heater isn't so odd ... maybe refueling it inside wasn't such a good idea though!! Glad they all got out ok!
thank god u all made it out safely. it could of been worst.
It could HAVE been WORSE. Agreed.
thats awful.... So glad everyone escaped unharmed!
a heater???? is it winter time n cali?? what was she thinkin'???
Gets cold at night in Malibu, dinkus.
While the rest of the country baked in the heat this summer, here in So. Ca. we've been chilly and using space heaters, esp. on outdoor patios, is quite common. Travel out of your neighborhood sometime.
They don't let you out of your cage very often, do they?
She is a strong woman she will be just fine im happy the family is all together and safe
Property can be replaced and hey it was a rental
Yup
Thats really sad! i am glad they are all ok!