Arson Suspected at Madonna’s Childhood Home
Police suspect that this bridge to Madonna’s past didn’t burn all by itself.
Authorities are investigating the possiblity of arson in a Friday-night blaze that heavily damaged a Detroit-area home where the pop icon spent some of her formative years.
According to fire officials, the two-story brick house sustained major fire and smoke damage throughout. The current owners were not at home, and no injuries were reported. A passerby who spotted flames inside called the fire department at about 8 p.m.
“We brought it under control in about 10 minutes,” Rochester Hills Fire Chief Ron Crowell told the Detroit Free Press. “There was significant loss.”
Meanwhile, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department said that the fire, which appears to have started in the living room, is being considered suspicious and police and fire officials are investigating.
Madonna was born in Bay City and grew up in Pontiac and Rochester Hills before heading off to the University of Michigan to study dance and then to New York to take on the world.
Hayden Panettiere’s Family Valentine’s Dinner
Hayden Panettiere’s Family Valentine’s Dinner
For some people, Valentine’s Day means a little more time with family. And Hayden Panettiere was spotted grabbing dinner with Mom, Dad, and Brother last night.
The “Heroes” babe went out to dinner at the new STK restaurant in Los Angeles, California, accompanied by her mom, Lesley R. Vogel (a former soap opera star), her dad Alan Panettiere (a fire department lieutenant) and her younger brother Jansen.
And Hayden looked as though she was ready to do a little detective work, sporting a khaki-colored trenchcoat over her evening attire.
It’s no wonder she wanted to spend time with her family this Valentine’s Day. Hayden has been so busy with her career lately, having recently traveled to Berlin, Germany to promote her new film “Fireflies in the Garden” at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Fiddy’s Disputed Home All Fired Up
UPDATE: 50 Cent has issued a statement about the fire that demolished the Long Island home of his baby mama and their 10-year-old son earlier this morning.
“Informed this morning while filming a new motion picture on location in Louisiana, Curtis Jackson expressed deep concern over this fire at his property,” his rep said. “He is extremely thankful that everyone including his son, Marquise, escaped the burning house safely.
“He is confident that authorities will be conducting a thorough investigation of the incident and is eager to review their findings.”
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The roofalong with the rest of Fiddy’s palatial Long Island housewas on fire.
The rapper’s former girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins and two of her children, including her son with the rapper, were among a half-dozen people hospitalized this morning after a raging blaze gutted the home. All six are in stable condition after being treated for smoke inhalation.
Authorities are already describing the fire, which was reported today at 5 a.m., as “suspicious” due to the intensity of the blaze, and an arson investigation squad has been called to the sooty scene to sniff out any potential materials used to jump-start the flames.
“I would say there is a stronga strong, strongpossibility that it is suspicious,” Dix Hills Fire Department Chief Larry Feld told Newsday. “The volume of the fire…It was engulfed.”
Engulfed in flames as well as litigation.
Fiddy purchased the home in January 2007 for $1.4 million and last month attempted to evict Tompkins unless she ponied up $4,500 per month in rent. Tompkins, in turn, filed a breach of contract suit against the rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, claiming he had promised to put the house in her name.
The fire also took place just days after a deposition with the twosome turned heated and spilled out onto the streets of Manhattan.
While the cause of the fire is currently under investigation, the rapper is not a suspect.