A fire at Beyonce and Jay-Z's $2.4 million New Orleans residence is being investigated as a possible arson attack, according to reports released on Thursday, July 23. Investigators discovered books piled in the oven and a gas canister left in the historic mansion, which the superstar couple purchased in 2015.

Beyonce was in the news last month when Trick Daddy from ‘Love and Hip-Hop: Miami’ went all over the internet after he took a dig at Beyonce’s singing skills during a Clubhouse chat saying “she can’t sing”.

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The 'Halo' singer and Jay-Z, best known for keeping their secrets sacred, launched a surprise joint album titled 'Everything is Love' early last year. The couple has another sprawling $26 million historic East Hampton mansion, which the duo bought in 2019.

 

What happened at Beyonce's mansion?

A department official verified to The New York Post that the fire at the $2.4 million historic New Orleans estate, reportedly owned by Beyonce, started at 6.15 pm central daylight time and was totally doused by 8.30 pm after 22 firefighters arrived on the scene. The blaze is now under investigation as a “simple arson.”

“If they didn’t get there when they did, it could have been much worse. It’s a historic home,” the spokesperson said, adding that there were no injuries or evacuations. The 39-year-old "Homecoming" star and her husband, rap legend and Roc Nation maestro Jay-Z, a.k.a. Shawn Carter, 51, owned the property, according to local outlet Nola.

The couple was not present at the house, which has been primarily uninhabited in recent years. “Inside the house, I’ve never seen any activity in the two years I’ve been here. No activity at all", said neighbor Jacques Michell. People have been known to enter the property through an unlocked gate, according to another unnamed neighbor who spoke to the local television station.

 

'Simple arson', 'suspicious person'

The cause of the Garden District fire, which was under control by 7 pm and was only a one-alarm fire, is unknown. New Orleans police are investigating the blaze as "simple arson," according to ABC station WGNO, and the agency “received a report of a suspicious person in the area around the time of the fire.”

According to 4WWL News, the suspicious figure was seen lurking near the house, which is located in the 15000 block of Harmony Street in the posh Garden District of the Louisiana city. The man was observed fleeing the house, according to WGNO News, as reported by The US Sun.

“I was walking around the corner with my dog... and I saw a lot of smoke coming out," said neighbor, August Arther. “My neighbor around the corner, she saw a dude jump over the fence on the backside of Harmony and Eighth."

According to Realtor.com, the property was first erected in 1927 as the Westminster Presbyterian church. It measures 15,200 square feet and contains six bedrooms and six and a half baths. Before being transformed into a residential property in 2000, it housed a ballet dancing troupe. It includes a big room that is 26 feet tall and was previously the sanctuary. According to the listing, it also has wood floors, a terrace, and a balcony.