'Borrowed wire cutters...': Meryl Streep's dramatic escape from LA wildfires
What's the story
The recent wildfires in Los Angeles have been wreaking havoc, affecting even the Hollywood legends. Among them was Meryl Streep (75), who found herself facing a terrifying escape. Her nephew, Abe Streep, shared the gripping details of her harrowing escape in an article for New York Magazine, revealing how Streep had to cut a hole in her fence large enough for a car to pass through while evacuating her property. Here's what happened.
Quick thinking
Streep's ingenious solution to a blocked exit
Abe detailed how his aunt ingeniously overcame the obstacle. "Evacuation mandates were sent across the city. My aunt received an order to evacuate...but when she tried to leave, she discovered that a large tree had fallen over in her driveway," he wrote. "Determined to make it out, she borrowed wire cutters from a neighbor, cut a car-size hole in the fence she shared with the neighbors on the other side, and drove through their yard to escape."
Celebrity impact
Other celebrities affected by the LA wildfires
Abe also spoke with Streep's longtime friend and Only Murders in the Building co-star Martin Short, who resides in Pacific Palisades. Short shared that he took family photo albums with him when one of his two sons told him to evacuate after the fires started on January 7. It took Short over an hour to get out of the Pacific Palisades as some abandoned their vehicles on the road and walked away from danger.
Personal loss
Actor Haley Joel Osment's losses and questions
Actor Haley Joel Osment—who had just returned from shooting a new movie when the Eaton Fire broke out near his Altadena home—lost 500 records and a piano gifted by his parents. He was worried about how things were handled. He said, "Not to cast blame or anything, but I just want to know...was there a decision to just let the whole neighborhood go?" According to reports on Monday (January 28), the death toll from these fires has climbed to 29.