Five teenagers have been charged with arson after a historic mansion designed by the architect of Buckingham Palace burned down. Rheola House, a Grade-II listed property in South Wales designed by John Nash, was almost completely destroyed in the "devastating" fire on August 18.
Charges and defendants
Kyle Renzoni, 18, Ellis Harding, 19, Yian Foster, 18, Evan Traynor, 18, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named because of his age have been charged with arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.
The 19th century mansion had been due to be transformed into a luxury retreat, complete with a swimming pool, spa, bar and restaurant.
Owner's response
Jason Brook, CEO of The Brook Group, which owns the property, described the damage as "extremely significant". He said: "We have faced multiple challenges since our involvement with Rheola, and for this to occur after we had finally resolved many of the issues that prevented us from taking our proposals forward is desperately upsetting."
"We will now be taking professional advice on the consequences of the fire and will liaise with the appropriate authorities to determine the next steps. Our sincere hope is that, despite this devastating setback, we will be able to emerge from this tragedy and continue with our plans for the Rheola estate and its future."
Tribute to firefighters
Mr Brook also thanked the firefighters who tackled the blaze in an official statement released this week. "We would like to recognise and pay tribute to the firefighters who attended the scene and fought bravely and tirelessly to try to contain the fire at Rheola House," he said.
"The house is in a remote location, which makes the efforts of fire crews in these circumstances even more challenging, and we are extremely relieved that all of the emergency personnel who attended are safe. We would also like to commend and applaud the swift actions of South Wales Police which has led to the apprehension of five people who have now been charged."
