Man Found Dead in Laurel Canyon House Fire Identified as Member of Rothschild Banking Family
A man found dead after his Laurel Canyon house was badly damaged in a fire Wednesday afternoon was a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family, neighbors said.
Background on the Rothschild Family
The Rothschilds, a sprawling Jewish family originally from Frankfurt, Germany, long dominated European banking, with its English and French branches playing major roles in finance and politics, most notably during the 18th and 19th centuries. At one point, the Rothschilds were widely considered to have amassed the largest private fortune on Earth.
Today, the family is spread across the globe and maintains interests in financial services, energy, real estate, and other sectors, while several of its prominent members have become high society and philanthropic fixtures in London, Paris, and beyond. The Rothschild fortune, now divided among many heirs, is said to be worth billions of dollars.
The Fire and Investigation
The burned-out residence, described by a real estate listing service as an 825-square-foot, two-bedroom property worth about $1 million, seemingly had little of the opulence befitting a descendant of the world’s most powerful bankers. The Hollywood Hills home was bedraggled and sooty a day after the blaze, which, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department, was put out by 45 firefighters in a little more than 30 minutes around 5 p.m.
Video of the conflagration, shared by a neighbor who requested anonymity over privacy concerns, showed flames in several places along the front of the brick and stucco structure, which is perched above street level and accessed by a long set of tiled stairs. As the blaze unfolded, the resident said, she saw “huge flames” and heard “glass shattering” — and watched as another neighbor held a hose and monitored the fire’s progress.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner will formally identify the deceased man and determine the cause of his death. The office did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment.
Neighbor Recounts the Incident
Dana Gladstone, a neighbor who has long lived on the street, said he heard a woman say, “Oh my God, that’s awful!” He surmised that she had probably been given the news of Rothschild’s passing.
Gladstone described Rothschild as a friendly man in his late 70s, who was devoted to his dog, an Afghan hound. He was also a graduate of Yale University and maintained a vintage car collection, storing some at his house and others up the street at another property.
Conclusion
The investigation into the fire and the circumstances surrounding Rothschild’s death is ongoing. The LA County Medical Examiner will release the official cause of death once the investigation is complete.
FAQs
Q: Who is William Rothschild?
A: William Rothschild was a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family.
Q: What was the cause of the fire?
A: The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Q: What was the extent of the damage?
A: The fire severely damaged the 825-square-foot, two-bedroom house, which is valued at around $1 million.
Q: Is anyone else injured?
A: No, there were no other reported injuries in the incident.
Q: What happened to Rothschild’s dog?
A: It is unclear what happened to Rothschild’s dog, an Afghan hound. One neighbor reported that the dog had not been seen since the incident.
