The Kate escape: Actress tells of relief after fleeing Branson's inferno

By Rebecca English

Last updated at 1:38 AM on 25th August 2011

Relief: The actress believes the blaze could have easily resulted in fatalities

Kate Winslet has spoken for the first time about her dramatic escape from the fire that gutted Sir Richard Branson’s Caribbean home.

The Oscar-winning actress, who was praised by the Virgin tycoon for carrying his 90-year-old mother out of the flames as well as rescuing her own children, said it was an experience she ‘would never forget’.

She was staying at the Great House on Necker, Sir Richard’s private domain in the British Virgin Islands, with her daughter Mia, ten, seven-year-old son Joe, and boyfriend Louis Dowler, a model.

They were among a party of 20 VIP guests who were forced to flee for their lives when lightning struck the multi-million-pound mansion in the early hours of Monday during a tropical hurricane. Miss Winslet said: ‘I’m just so glad that everyone is safe. And this very easily could not have been the case.

‘I will never forget Richard placing his arms around both my children as we were watching the flames, and saying, “At the end of the day, what you realise is that all that matters is the people that you love. Everything else is just stuff. And none of that stuff matters”.’

Sir Richard’s mother Eve, daughter Holly, 29, and other family members were in the Great House at the time.



The 61-year-old tycoon, who had been staying in a separate villa with his wife Joan and son Sam, 25, told yesterday how he leapt naked from bed at 4am and raced towards the flames – only to run into a cactus bush.

Helpless: Guests can only watch as flames rip through the Caribbean home

Sam, who was with him, said: ‘The sight of our home was horrific. Amid the storm all I could see was a huge ball of flame and a giant orange glow reflecting off the rain.

‘I thought everyone inside was being burnt alive. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

‘I ran barefoot over cacti, through the hurricane force winds, all I could think was I’ve got to try and save what was left of my family, and did my best not to break down. Soon after arriving I was told all were alive and safe but the feeling of shock remained.’

Holly, who is due to marry on the island in December, said: ‘I was awoken by shouting which was hard to hear over the howling hurricane winds and rain, but I knew instantly something was wrong. I looked down the corridor to see a raging fire in the main room.

‘The flames were quickly spreading to where everyone was sleeping and we knew instantly the urgency to get everyone to safety.

Nightmare: Holly Branson, pictured with her father, was planning to get married on the island later this year

‘I ran as fast as I could, bare feet in the winds and rain, to get to my mum and dad to let them know we were OK. I hated the thought of them worrying.

‘I ran into Sam coming towards the house, crying. For mum, dad and Sam it was a terrible experience to go through. They had awoken in a different house and saw the flames thinking we were all burning inside.’

Holly said that once everyone was safe, ‘we then sat and watched flames sweep through our beautiful family home feeling completely helpless’.

Sir Richard said that he is determined to rebuild the house as soon as possible.

And he revealed that the family were pleased to discover that their pet redfoot tortoise, feared dead in the blaze, had actually survived.

‘To our absolute delight walking across the ashes was ET, named after Roald Dahl’s famous Esio Trot from when Roald visited Necker,’ he said.

‘None of us could understand how anything could have survived that inferno and ET will have pride of place in the new Great House once it is built.’


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