Fire wrecks Branson holiday home in BVI

LONDON, (Reuters) – British Oscar-winning actress  Kate Winslet was among the guests who escaped unhurt from a fire  which swept through Richard Branson’s Caribbean holiday retreat  overnight, the billionaire said today.
Branson said the blaze was caused by a lightning strike on  The Great House on Necker Island, and that the building was  completely destroyed.
Branson, his wife Joan and son Sam were staying in a nearby  property, but among those who fled the affected building were  35-year-old Winslet, her boyfriend and family, Branson’s mother  Eve and his daughter Holly.
“Around 20 people were in the house and they all managed to  get out and they are all fine,” Branson said in comments  released to the British media.
“We had a really bad tropical storm with winds up to 90  miles per hour. A big lightning storm came around 4 a.m. and hit  the house.
“My son Sam rushed to the house and helped get everyone out.  Kate Winslet, her boyfriend and her family were there and Holly  and some of her friends were also staying. My mother was there  and they managed to get her out and she is fine.”
He said his office was based in the main house, and that he  had lost thousands of photographs in the fire.
Branson added that he planned to rebuild the property, which  British media said had been expected to be the venue for the  marriage later this year of Holly to fiance Fred Andrews.
Necker Island is part of the British Virgin Islands and is  privately owned by Branson.