A US businessman, David Steiner, recently shared his thoughts on why his Malibu mansion managed to survive the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, despite the destruction of neighboring properties. Steiner’s $9 million estate was the only home left standing in his row of houses after the Palisades fire ravaged the area.
The fire, one of eight active blazes in LA County, has scorched over 20,000 acres, destroying more than 5,000 homes and businesses. The strong winds and dry conditions worsened the flames, and authorities are investigating the Kenneth fire as potentially being caused by arson, with a man arrested on suspicion of starting it.
Celebrities including Paris Hilton, Anna Faris, Eugene Levy, and Billy Crystal have been among those who lost their homes. Steiner was initially concerned that his mansion, which was vacant at the time, would be engulfed by the flames, especially after a local contractor sent him a video showing flames approaching his neighborhood.
However, Steiner was later amazed to learn that his property had survived. As the fire raged through the area, he started receiving messages and images from people telling him that his house had made it through unscathed, standing strong beside the charred remains of his neighbors’ homes.
Steiner attributes the survival of his four-bedroom, 4,200-square-foot mansion to its robust construction. Built to withstand earthquakes, the house has a fireproof roof, stucco and stone exteriors, and is anchored with pilings extending 50 feet into the bedrock. Steiner explained that the design was intended to protect against earthquakes, not wildfires, but it ended up serving his home well in this situation.
While Steiner is grateful for his home’s survival, he remains aware of the greater tragedy unfolding around him. He expressed empathy for the many others who lost their primary residences and cherished belongings. Although his mansion may have some smoke damage, Steiner is thankful that his family was not residing there full-time at the time.
Steiner also emphasized that his situation is relatively minor in comparison to the loss experienced by others, and he noted that while he has insurance, it would only cover 50% of the damage caused by the wildfire.
