In an incredible turn of events, one house in Malibu stood untouched amidst the raging wildfires that wreaked havoc across the area.
The $9 million mansion, belonging to retired Texas waste-management mogul David Steiner, was one of the few structures left standing as the flames devoured everything in their path.
A Mansion Built to Withstand Disasters
David Steiner, a father of three, never expected his luxurious three-story, 4,200-square-foot home to face such a crisis.
However, the house was designed to endure both earthquakes and fires.
With its fireproof roof, stucco and stone walls, and 50-foot pilings driven into bedrock, the mansion proved resilient against the powerful blaze.
Steiner told The New York Post that while he never imagined a wildfire could jump the Pacific Coast Highway, he was confident the structure would survive an earthquake.
It turns out that his fireproof design did exactly what it was meant to do — protect.
Unexpected Survival Amid the Flames
On Tuesday, Steiner received a video from a contractor monitoring the nearby Palisades Fire.
The footage showed flames threatening his property while the neighboring multimillion-dollar homes were already engulfed in flames.
“It looked like nothing could have possibly survived that,” Steiner reflected, but remarkably, his mansion stood untouched.
As the fire continued to spread, Steiner’s home became the lone survivor.
“People started contacting me, saying, ‘Your house is all over the news,'” he recalled, as pictures flooded in showing the gleaming white house amid the charred debris.
A Humble Response to Miraculous Survival
Despite the miracle of his home surviving, Steiner remains grounded.
“It wasn’t a happy time,” he said, acknowledging the loss of others around him. “I can replace it. It’s not a person.”
Steiner expressed humility, focusing on the tragedy faced by those who lost their homes, rather than his own fortunate survival.
He emphasized that although the Malibu house was important to his family, it was not their primary residence.
Many years ago, he purchased the home when two of his sons were studying in the area, but it no longer held their mementos.
“My heart truly goes out to those who lost everything,” he said.
The Unfolding Disaster in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles area has faced unprecedented devastation due to the wildfires, which have destroyed approximately 10,000 structures and claimed at least 10 lives.
Thousands have been displaced, and the fires have spread across an area larger than San Francisco.
By Friday, officials reported that the fires in the Palisades were only 8% contained, with the Altadena fire at just 3%. The financial toll is expected to be staggering, with estimates ranging from $135 billion to $150 billion in damages.
The Pacific Palisades neighborhood has seen some of the worst destruction, with entire blocks reduced to ash, including homes of high-profile figures like Jamie Lee Curtis and Billy Crystal.
Steiner’s story serves as a rare bright spot amid the widespread devastation, reminding everyone that resilience, planning, and luck can sometimes defy even the most catastrophic of circumstances.
This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn