Ricki Lake Sued For Starting House Fire

[Janice]

http://www.popeater.com/2011/06/11/ricki-lake-sued-house-fire/?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl2|sec3_lnk2|70213


Ricki Lake Sued For Starting House Fire



Ricki Lake is busy developing a new talk show, chatting about her love life in the press and writing her life story -- a new book deal will have her memoir on shelves next spring. But there's one chapter in her life she probably doesn't want to talk about.

Lake is now being sued by Hovsep Kousayan, the owner of a house in Malibu, Calif., that the TV star and her family rented last year.

The beachfront home was destroyed by a massive fire in September, which allegedly began after Lake spilled oil while refilling a space heater.

The lawsuit, according to a report by TMZ, was filed in a Los Angeles court earlier this week. Damages sought could be in the millions.

In preparing the lawsuit, Kousayan reportedly spoke with emergency responders who claim that on the scene, Lake essentially admitted to causing the blaze. And in the panicked 911 call she placed when her couch first went up in flames, Lake is heard telling her children, "Mommy made a mistake."

The Sheriff's Dept. of Los Angeles County, however, investigated the fire at Lake's rental home and concluded that it was an accident.

Lake, 42, is the mother of two sons, Milo and Owen, with her ex-husband, Rob Sussman. The boys were at home at the time of the fire -- thankfully, no one was injured. Hours after the harrowing incident, Lake tweeted: "Thank you everyone for your concern and well wishes...My sons, beloved dog and I are are safe and very grateful."