The Malibu house of the lottery winner is just one more property that has been lost in the recent wildfires.
A guy who struck it rich with the massive Powerball jackpot a couple of years back has seen one of his homes go up in flames during the Los Angeles wildfires.
Edwin Castro made waves when he snagged the incredible $2 billion Powerball Jackpot after purchasing a ticket at a nearby gas station in November 2022.
He revealed his winning ticket in February 2023, and that moment flipped his life upside down with an unbelievable fortune.
Castro hit the jackpot in a big way, scoring a whopping $997.6 million in a lump sum, making him nearly a billionaire overnight.
Naturally, he wasted no time diving into investments and splurging, especially on real estate.
One of his purchases was a stunning $3.8 million house in Malibu, but recent images from the US Sun reveal that the place has been completely reduced to ashes. All that’s left now are charred remains and the foundation.
The fire started in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening (January 7), fueled by fierce winds reaching up to 100mph, which helped it spread along the Pacific Coast to Pasadena.
Wildfires are wreaking havoc in the area, claiming at least 10 lives and destroying over 10,000 homes and other buildings, according to officials. They’re urging more residents to follow evacuation orders as a new fire has sparked and spread rapidly.
The death toll and property damage are likely to increase as firefighters face challenges in controlling the flames.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported that all three of its one million-gallon water tanks, which supply fire hydrants in Pacific Palisades, were empty by 3 a.m. on Wednesday.
President Joe Biden has promised that the federal government will back California’s firefighting efforts with full financial support for the next 180 days.
Biden gave a shout-out to local power companies for cutting off electricity and also praised California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, for his actions during the crisis.
He mentioned, “From my conversations with the governor, I know there are worries about a water shortage out there.
“The reality is, the utilities had to turn off the power because they were concerned that the power lines could come down and ignite more fires.
“There’s a clear link between the utility company and the ability to get water from a hydrant. This can lead to a lot of misinformed people making claims or raising concerns about local officials not caring or not doing their jobs.”
You can support those affected by the fires by donating to the Red Cross online, by calling (800) 733-2767 or texting REDCROSS to 90999.