Fire damages Fergie’s Chateau near Geneva

Fazy Chateau near Geneva, which was damaged by fire on Wednesday Keystone

A fire damaged the Swiss residence of the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, on Wednesday, at Fazy Chateau, in Russin near Geneva.

The chateau, which was unoccupied at the time, had been undergoing renovation. Authorities said four rooms and part of the roof were destroyed in the fire, which took 35 firemen an hour-and-a-half to extinguish. No injuries were reported.

Authorities said the pre-dawn blaze appeared to have started accidentally in the kitchen area. However, an investigation has begun to determine the cause.

Authorities said some of the damage to the structure came from smoke, which poured from the building. Authorities said the smoke darkened the ceilings and the front of the chateau.

Police from the canton of Geneva are handling the investigation, a spokeswoman said.

Sarah Ferguson, the former wife of Prince Andrew, was not in the area at the time of the fire.

According to the newspaper Tribune de Geneve, the chateau, which includes 8000 square meters of property, was being renovated at a cost of SFr4 million. Sale of the property, estimated at SFr1.3 million, had not yet been completed, according to the published report.

swissinfo with agencies