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http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-sunset-plaza-fire,0,5197159.story

Fire Destroys Priceless Art Collection at Hollywood Hills Mansion

KTLA News

10:14 PM PDT, September 16, 2009

LOS ANGELES -- A priceless art collection was destroyed in a massive fire that ripped through a 5-story, multi-million dollar home in the Hollywood Hills.

The fire was reported around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 2000 block of Sunset Plaza Drive.

Firefighters had to navigate their trucks through, steep, narrow, winding roads to get to the blaze which quickly consumed the property. The home is nestled close to other buildings, but the fire did not spread, according to Cecco Secci of the Los Angeles City Fire Department.

Smoke billowed from all areas of the roof and the entire top floor was engulfed in flames.

The home's owner, lawyer Brian Witzer, says the flames destroyed a priceless art collection, including several pieces commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte, a Faberge egg and a Stradivarius violin. Witzer's multi-million dollar Ferrari collection was saved from the flames. Witzer says damage is estimated at $14 million dollars.

Witzer was home when the fire broke out an initially fought the blaze with a garden hose until firefighters arrived. The fire was knocked down in about a half hour. Ten fire companies responded to the blaze, Secci said.

Witzer says he thinks the fire may have started with an electrical short in his 600 gallon aquarium. He told KTLA that he's upset about how much time it took fire crews to respond to the blaze. Fire officials say engines arrived at the scene within 6-to7 minutes of receiving the call. Witzer claims his home burned for more than a half hour before crews arrived.

No injuries were reported.

Water-dropping helicopters were sent to the scene to make sure the flames did not spread to nearby brush.

 

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