Flames Engulf Hollywood Hills Home Of Singer Johnny Mathis
HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — A fire that started outside spread into singer Johnny Mathis' uninhabited Hollywood Hills home on Monday afternoon, causing extensive damage.
The fire was reported at around 5:30 p.m. at Mathis' large one-story house in the hills above the Sunset Strip, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman said.
After 30 minutes, 41 firefighters were able to knock down the fire.
Aerial footage from SKY9 showed that a large part of the house's roof had caved in. The interior of the home also sustained extensive damage, with ash covering many of the surfaces and an indoor pool full of dark sludge.
No one was home when the fire broke out.
Mathis, 80, was flying back from a show in Cleveland on Monday.
He received word that his house was on fire and arrived directly from LAX to appraise the damage.
Mathis has lived in the house for 56 years.
The crooner began recording music in 1956 and has recorded 80 full albums. Late last year, he told Pat Harvey he enjoys staying active by continuing to record songs and perform to live audiences.
Despite extensive damage to his home and large collection of music memorabilia, Mathis stayed upbeat on Monday night.
"I'm OK. Nobody got hurt. That's so important," he said. "We can always replace things."
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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