A member of the famous Rothschild family is believed to have died in a house fire in the Hollywood Hills last night.
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a fire in the 8500 block of Lookout Mountain Avenue in the Hollywood Hills around 4:40 PM PT on Wednesday.
About 45 firefighters took just 33 minutes to reach, contain and completely extinguish the blaze in the two-story hillside home.
The flames were contained to the first floor of the two-story house on the hill and could not spread to vegetation or nearby residential buildings, the department said.
Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a deceased older adult male on the scene whose cause of death is under investigation by the Los Angles County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Neighbors told us KABC he was Will Rothschild, a member of the prominent British-German banking family.
Rothschild was described as a reclusive millionaire with multiple properties and dozens of expensive cars.
Some neighbors said they thought the house was empty because they had never seen him, and those who did know him were saddened by the news.
A relative of the famed Rothschild banking family has reportedly died in a tragic house fire in California
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a fire in the 8500 block of Lookout Mountain Avenue in the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday around 4:40 PM PT
“It’s very sad,” neighbor Jim Moore told the local news station. ‘He was a good guy. A good neighbor.’
The two-bedroom, one-bathroom home is worth an estimated $1,076,000, according to Zillow.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
The Rothschild family built a fortune establishing banks in Europe and is estimated to be worth $1 billion, according to estimates Business insider.
Lord Jacob Rothschild – the financier and member of the Rothschild banking family – died in February at the age of 87.
Lord Rothschild – who had four children, including the financier Nat Rothschild – began his career at the family bank in 1963, setting up Windmill Hill Asset Management to manage the family’s philanthropic portfolio.
He then founded the then J Rothschild Assurance Group, now St James’s Place, with Sir Mark Weinberg in 1980.
Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a deceased older adult male on the scene whose cause of death is under investigation by the Los Angles County Medical Examiner’s Office.
During his career, Lord Rothschild held positions as deputy chairman at the then BSkyB Television and was also chairman of trustees at The National Gallery.
In 1992 he also became chairman of the then Institute for Jewish Affairs, now known as the Institute for Jewish Policy Research.
The family said in a statement: “Our father Jacob was a great presence in the lives of many people, an outstanding financier, a champion of arts and culture, a dedicated public servant, a passionate supporter of causes in Israel and Jewish culture. an avid environmentalist and a beloved friend, father and grandfather.
“He will be buried in a small family ceremony according to Jewish custom and a memorial service will take place at a later date to celebrate his life.”