Actor Dick Van Dyke faced losing his Los Angeles home due to the horrific wild fires destroying the city in recent weeks. The Mary Poppins star was reportedly carried away from the scene of his Malibu home after attempting to save the mansion.
Dick, 99, is said to have been escorted away by emergency services due to the dangerous environment.
Dick Van Dyke almost lost house in LA fires
The star has only just returned to his Malibu abode after he was forced out of the house due to wildfires in early December.
Reports claim that sources close to the star have said that he experienced heavy trauma following his first evacuation. Consequently, he does not want to lose his home again.
During the recent wildfires that surrounded Malibu on December 10, Dick had attempted to fight the fire alongside his wife Arlene Silver.
He tried to push back flames using an outdoor hose. Unfortunately, this failed when Dick’s outdoor hose became tangled.
Dick told RadarOnline that he tried his best to protect his home: “I’m out there laying on the ground trying to undo this fire hose, and the fire’s coming over the hill. What I did was exhaust myself,” he admitted. “I forgot how old I am. And I realised I was crawling to get out.”
Dick was left ‘exhausted’ after fighting off fire
The actor is said to have desperately tried to save some possessions but was left “exhausted”. Because of this, he was unable to get up from the floor. Fortunately, three neighbours helped the star and ensured he was evacuated safely.
Longevity expert Dr Gabe Mirkin told the publication: “Most 98 or 99-year-olds would have never survived what Dick went through. You lose muscle size, strength and coordination in your waning years. But he’s tried to keep that at bay – with good results.”
Speaking to the publication, a source close claimed: “Physically, Dick was fine – but he is still shaken up. There is some post-traumatic stress coming from it. In a way, it was hard for him to face that at his age, he just can’t take on battling a fire. His neighbours had to rescue him.”
The current wildfires in LA have caused more than 130,000 people to be ordered to evacuate. Five people have died due to the horrific ordeal.
Hurricane-force winds are said to be hindering firefighting operations and therefore spreading the fires that began on Tuesday.
Many celebrities including Paris Hilton and Adam Brody have lost their homes in the Malibu area.
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Emily loves to write about the latest trending news, whether it’s reality TV chaos or Royal drama. She also has a passion for translating editorial content into share-worthy social media posts after spending two years as a social media manager and marketing executive.
