News

4 People Killed By Fire At James Blake's Home

by Jenny Hollander

On Wednesday, a fire left four people dead at the Florida home of former tennis pro James Blake. Firefighters were called to the Tampa, Florida mansion in the early hours of Wednesday morning, and though officials haven't released the identities of the four bodies they found there, it's suspected that the fire was set intentionally. Blake himself was in Connecticut with his family at the time, and was reportedly renting the home out to tenants for a year.

There are unconfirmed reports that the bodies had suffered gunshot wounds, but officials are staying tight-lipped about the details for now. The fire had engulfed a large portion of the house, and was so intense that authorities may not be able to investigate the cause for several days. According to The Guardian, neighbors said that a family with two teenagers were living there at the time of the fire.

Firefighters found fireworks and petrol cans when they entered the house, and they're reportedly concerned about the imminent possibility of the house collapsing. Back in 2005, Blake, who is married to publicist Emily Snider, purchased the 5,800 square-feet house for $1.57 million. He and Snider have two children.

Blake retired in 2013, and had at one time claimed the title of America's No. 1 player. He narrowly missed out on a medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and saw a career high of World No. 4.