A deserted mansion, once worth millions and made famous last year by a YouTuber known as “The Unknown Cameraman,” who captured its spooky interior, has been destroyed by fire, sources report.
The blaze, first reported at around 12:30 a.m., ravaged the 22,000 square foot property, formerly estimated to be worth about $8 million, officials reported to NJ.com.
By 10 a.m. Thursday, the mansion had been completely consumed by the fire.
Colts Neck Mayor Macnow expressed gratitude during a press conference, stating, “On behalf of the local government and the community, I want to extend our thanks to all neighboring cities for their support and assistance.” He also gave special thanks to the local volunteer fire department, the first aid team, and the police department for their exceptional efforts in preventing the fire from spreading to nearby buildings, which could have led to loss of life or severe injuries.
The house, known online as the “Zombie Mansion,” drew significant attention last year after the “Unknown Cameraman” featured it in a YouTube video on September 16, which has since garnered over a million views.
The video showed the mansion in disrepair, with its nine bathrooms and seven bedrooms boarded up, walls missing, and covered in graffiti.
Previously, the mansion was owned by Wall Street fraudster David Findel, who admitted to orchestrating an $11 million lending fraud through his company, Worldwide Financial Resources, based in Morganville. The mansion was built in 2002.
Findel, who once famously spent $400,000 on New York Jets tickets, was later sentenced to five years and three months in prison and ordered to pay $12 million in restitution.
Mayor Macnow highlighted the dangers of such properties being popularized on social media, which can lead to trespassing. “This is why we were actively pursuing legal measures to address the situation,” he stated, emphasizing the town’s ongoing efforts to compel the lien holders to secure the property.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, according to officials.
Colts Neck Police Chief Kevin Sauter commented, “The investigation began immediately after the fire was put out, and at this stage, it appears suspicious.”
