Madonna's childhood home burns down

Madonna's childhood dreams into ash when her childhood home was destroyed in a suspicious blaze. 2036 Oklahoma Avenue, a two-storey home in Detroit's Rochester Hills area, was engulfed in fire on Friday night, while its present owners were away. By the time firefighters arrived, flames were shooting through the roof's west side, according to fire chief Ron Crowell.

We brought it under control in about 10 minutes," Crowell said. Though no one was injured, "there was significant loss."

Arson experts from the Oakland County Sheriff's Arson Unit and the Rochester Hills Fire Department are carrying out an investigation into the blaze. They were alerted by a passer-by who saw flames shooting out of the house.

Madonna has not lived at the Detroit address since she was a child, but a neighbour spoke of playing with a young Madonna Louise Ciccone and her five siblings. He said to the Detroit Free Press that Madonna would sometimes return to visit the Oklahoma Avenue home, and once even brought Sean Penn along.

The Oakland County Sheriff Department said yesterday that the fire seems to have started in the living room. It has been deemed suspicious, and arson investigators are on the case.

Meanwhile, the singer is currently dogged with rumors that she is about to divorce Guy Ritchie after the Times of London reported she engaged the same divorce lawyer used by Paul McCartney in his split with Heather Mills.

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