Ricki Lake Allegedly Burns House Down, Now She's Feeling the Heat

Former talk show host is slapped with a lawsuit by the owner of a Malibu home that she allegedly destroyed while renting it last fall

By Peter Gicas Jun 14, 2011 5:45 PMTags
Ricki Lake, Beach HouseTigerpixx/INFphoto.com; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Could Ricki Lake's bank account soon be going up in flames, too?

Last fall, the former daytime talk show host was renting a home in Malibu for $20,000 a month. Until she allegedly burned the place down, that is.

Now the owner is looking for a little compensation...

According to the lawsuit filed on June 6 by Hovsep Kousouyan in L.A. County Superior Court, Lake was refilling a portable space heater when the oil spilled and was ignited by the open flame. As a result, a fire ripped through the residence and Lake "failed to extinguish" the blaze.

Kousouyan is suing Lake for negligence, breach of contract, waste and ultra-hazardous activity.

While the papers state the fire department did respond promptly, they could not save the property, which was "completely destroyed." The lawsuit also claims that Lake told emergency workers at the time of the incident that she was to blame after telling them about the spilled oil catching fire.

A hearing is set for Sept. 21.

—Reporting by Claudia Rosenbaum