Huge fire rips through nine-bed mansion on millionaire’s row reducing home to ashes in Bank Holiday horror
A MANSION on London's luxurious Millionaires' Row was "engulfed in flames" within 20minutes, said horrified neighbours.
Firefighters battled the flames engulfing Hollybush House in Barnet, north London, after the alarm was raised in the early hours of this morning.
Fire tore through the nine-bedroom 18th Century Grade II-listed mansion at around 1am.
The London Fire Brigade sent 10 fire engines and more than 70 firefighters to tackle the raging inferno.
It took several hours before the fire was brought under control.
The cause of the fire is still unknown and it has not been confirmed whether anyone was injured.
Read More
It has now emerged the property was in the midst of undergoing extensive renovations.
The owners had forked out thousands for the restoration work, which had started around 18 months ago.
A Robert and Helen Speroni are named on planning applications.
Rober Speroni appears to be the managing director of Radmat, a building products company with an annual turnover of £80million.
Most read in The Sun
Meanwhile, Helen is listed on Companies House as a director, and chair of trustees at the private school Amici Bruerni, in Oxfordshire.
A witness who raised the alarm last night told the : "Flames had engulfed the house within about 20 minutes, it all happened quite quickly.
"And obviously it's all timber inside so that's why they're spraying it with so much water now.
"At about 4am it was still ongoing and the house was completely destroyed."
Other neighbours said they knew the owner and confirmed the property wasn't being lived in.
Steve Clarke, 60, told the building was a "complete house" with it "close to being ready".
Teacher Jacqui Beaumont, also in her 60s, who lives nearby, added: "It would have been an utterly magnificent house with a view across this beautiful green space that we're very lucky to enjoy here in Barnet.
"It looked pristine, but now it's been ruined."
A spokesperson for London Fire Brigade said: "Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters tackled a fire at a house on Hadley Green Road in Barnet.
"The entire roof, as well as the first and ground floors of a detached house undergoing refurbishment were alight.
"The structure subsequently suffered a partial collapse. There are no reports of any injuries.
"One of the Brigade's 32-metre turntable ladders was used at the scene as a water tower to tackle the fire from above.
"Control Officers took the first of eight calls to the fire at 0110 and mobilised crews from Southgate, Barnet, Finchley and surrounding fire stations to the scene.
"The fire was under control by 0448, but crews remain on scene this morning damping down hot spots.
"The cause of the fire is under investigation."
Hollybush House was built in the late 1700s and sprawls across 9,300 sq ft, including an attached cottage, on just over two acres of land.
The main building consists of a drawing room, library, kitchen, dining room, sitting room, art room, and six bedrooms.
Hadley Green Road has been dubbed as Millionaires' Row because properties are known to go for seven figure price tags.
Hollybush House itself was sold for £4.5million in 2020, while other homes in the affluent neighbourhood have been listed at similar figures since 2014.
Read More on The Sun
On average, the lavish pads sell for around £1.75, compared to the average UK house price of just under £300,000.
The Met Police and London Fire Brigade have been contacted for comment.
