Millionaire David Steiner's mansion has withstood the flames that ravaged parts of Los Angeles' West Coast. We explain why.
While fires have reduced many homes in Los Angeles to ashes, particularly in the prestigious Pacific Palisades neighborhood, one mansion has miraculously survived.
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This A beachfront home in Malibu was spared from the flames that have been ravaging the area since Tuesday, the New York Post~ reports. 60~/em>.
The house found intact
The The property, valued at $9 million (about €8.8 million), is owned by David Steiner, a 64-year-old retiree who made his fortune in waste management. Steiner, who usually lives in Texas, was not in Los Angeles. Angeles at the time of the fires and did not expect to find his three-story second home intact.
The house's strength, he says, lies in its design and materials. “The house is made of stone and stucco, a mixture of cement, sand and lime,”, he told the New York Post. The material is known for its durability, and the roof, which is designed to be fireproof, played a crucial role in slowing the spread of the flames.
“My heart goes out to those who lost their primary homes,”, he said, adding that he didn't lose any items of sentimental value.
Similar choices
Architect Greg Chasen, whose home also withstood the flames thanks to similar choices, shared his perspective on X (formerly Twitter): “We need to rethink how we build in these high-risk areas.” He in particular, it was pointed out that wood, often preferred for its flexibility in the face of earthquakes, could be replaced by more fire-resistant materials.
More than 12,000 buildings or homes have been destroyed or damaged, according to initial estimates. The human toll is also heavy, with at least 24 deaths recorded.