Nassau Bahamas - Just several weeks after he announced plans to expand his multimillion dollar Mayan-themed property at Lyford Cay, Canadian businessman and fashion designer Peter Nygard's home was extensively damaged in an early morning blaze yesterday.

Superintendent Jeffrey Deleveaux, who heads the Fire Services Division of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, said police were alerted to the fire shortly before 4 a.m. Wednesday.

Eleven fire officers in three fire trucks responded to the blaze, said Deleveaux, adding that when they arrived at Nygard Cay, officers found the famous multi-story "tree house" as well as several other buildings in the northern and southwestern sections of the compound "fully" engulfed in flames.

Deleveaux said the officers eventually extinguished the fire, but the damage to the buildings, particularly the tree house, was extensive.

"As a matter of fact all of the wooden portions of that northern and southwestern section are extensively damaged," Deleveaux said. "The area near the beach was also extensively damaged. And the top portion of the tree house and all of the wooden sections have also been pretty heavily damaged."

The phone system and the electrical system were also reported to be down at the property, but Deleveaux said he could not confirm that.

Smoke could still be seen emanating from the property at Nygard Cay on Wednesday afternoon.

Deleveaux said that although the damage was significant, it could be repaired.

"It's not destroyed," he said. "All that is really needed is to replace the wooden section and some of the areas that might have been stressed by the fire. If you just have them repaired, they should be up and running in just a short matter of time."

Deleveaux reported that no one was injured in the blaze and only security officers were on site at the time.

Nygard was out of the country, according to Deleveaux, who said that he understood that the fashion mogul was on his way to the cay yesterday.

Nygard, the founder and chairman of NYG?RD, one of North America's leading women's fashion houses, was said to be in the United Sates opening his new flagship store in Times Square, New York.

A little over two weeks ago, Nygard told The Nassau Guardian that he had spoken to the government about plans to turn his multimillion dollar Lyford Cay home into an uber-luxurious development for high-end visitors.

"We're in the planning process to expand Nygard Cay tremendously [and we're] working with the Bahamian government to summarize plans for a major expansion into operations," Nygard said. "It's going to be very exciting ... It's going to be a luxury development, a very high-class exclusive hotel or resort for top end customers."

Built in the 1980s, the estate has been prominently featured in many worldwide media outlets, including the Oprah show and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.









by JUAN McCARTNEY - The Nassau Guardian

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