Mark Owen was forced to evacuate his LA mansion after waking to helicopters, “thick black smoke” and howling winds.
Mark Owen was forced to evacuate his LA mansion after waking to helicopters, ‘thick black smoke’ and howling winds
The Take That singer, 52, is the latest celebrity who had to flee his home as infernos fuelled by furious gusts raged in LA – with his wife sharing an emotional account of their escape with their three children on social media.
His actress wife Emma Ferguson told their fans online: “Thank you for all your messages and checking in. I can’t quite comprehend what happened here, but we are safe.
“The hurricane-force winds and lack of water have meant the fire has spread catastrophically fast and taken much of our beloved area with it.
“Schools, homes, shops, and stables are all gone.
“We woke up to helicopters, thick black smoke, winds howling, and the uncertainty that our house would survive.
“I wish I had packed better. Even if I had just grabbed each of their baby shoes, it would have been something.
“So many have lost everything, pets included. And it’s nowhere near over. Three active fires are blazing around us, and there is not enough water to manage the situation. Planes are grounded due to the winds
“I’m not sure what our next step is. Right now, I’m just heavy and tired. We are beyond grateful to the heroes at @losangelesfiredepartment for all they do during these times. They work tirelessly to save homes and lives under catastrophic conditions.
“We see you. Climate change is real, and it’s apocalyptic when it strikes.”
Before the Owen family were evacuated, Emma told her fans there was no water left and aircraft had been grounded.
She said in a video: “I’m so tired, I don’t think anyone in LA is sleeping right now.
“I’m popping back on here – we've had so many messages of people just checking if we’re ok… friends and family back home and there are so many messages, they’re so lovely, we just don’t have the energy or the time to individually send details.
“Just to let you know that we are safe, we are still safe, myself and the two girls are at a hotel with the two smaller dogs and the hamsters.
“Mark is at his music studio with the two bigger dogs and the cats, we have so many animals.
“We managed to get the horse to safety, although the horse might have to be rescued again because where they were moved to is now under threat.”
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