A historic mansion in New Orleans that is reportedly owned by singer Beyoncé caught fire on Wednesday night. Local news outlets have tied the property to the Carters, dating back to 2015, though it has never been publicly confirmed by either. A cause for the fire has not been determined yet, but it lasted for about two hours and 15 minutes during the evening time. About 22 firefighters reported to take on and extinguish the fire, according to a New Orleans Fire Department spokesperson.
“If they didn’t get there when they did, it could have been much worse. It’s a historic home,” a spokesperson told The New York Post.
The spokesperson also added that there were no injuries and evacuations, indicating that the property was empty at the time when it caught on fire. It was contained by about 7 p.m. but fully extinguished by 8:30 p.m., and it only ever rose to a one-alarm fire status, meaning it was never truly in danger of destroying the entire property.
The six-bedroom, six-and-a-half bathroom home is assessed at more than $2.4 million, but according to city records, it transferred hands in 2015 for a final recorded price of $100. Previously, it was listed on the market for $2.5 million in 2013 by its previous owner, Sandra C. McNamara. The home was built in 1927 as the Westminster Presbyterian church, and the entire building tallies at 15,200 square feet.
A 2015 report from Curbed NOLA tied the Carters to the Garden District mansion through public records. The property was sold to Sugarcane Park LLC in 2015, which, through a search of the Louisiana Secretary of State website, connected the LLC to a mailing address for Parkwood Entertainment LLC, Beyoncé's management company. The Carters have been around New Orleans on and off for many years, as sister Solange Knowles is a part-time resident and a co-owner of a boutique in the French Quarter. Beyoncé also famously headlined the 2013 Super Bowl halftime show at the Superdome in New Orleans.