Fire damages Nick Nolte's home in Malibu
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A fire at Nick Nolte's home in Malibu, California gutted his living room on Tuesday but the actor escaped with minor injuries after trying to douse the flames with a garden hose, officials said.
The "Tropic Thunder" star suffered smoke inhalation and minor abrasions in the fire, which was caused by an electrical problem, Inspector Sam Padilla, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said.
The fire caused $3 million in damage to the structure and contents of the house but the home was not destroyed, Inspector James Barnes of the fire department said. The flames were confined to the living room.
"Nick Nolte was there apparently with a water hose trying to extinguish the fire himself and of course we came to help him out," Barnes said.
Nolte's spokesman, Arnold Robinson, said in a statement the actor was "grateful" to firefighters and police "for their quick response and assistance."
Nolte, 67, is a two-time Oscar nominee for his roles in "The Prince of Tides" and "Affliction." He stars in the Ben Stiller comedy "Tropic Thunder" and will next appear in the thriller "Nine Miles Down" from British director Anthony Waller.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Eric Walsh)
