JOHNNY CASH - FIRE TRAGEDY AT CASH HOME

The former home of country great JOHNNY CASH went up in flames yesterday (10APR07) during a comprehensive restoration project. Firefighters were called to the Hendersonville, Tennessee house, which is now owned by BEE GEES star BARRY GIBB, when the blaze took hold. All but one of the city's fire engines responded to the fire alert, called in by a construction team working on the property. The blaze beat firefighters and an hour after the fire was reported, the house had burned to the ground. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is unknown. Cash and his wife, JUNE CARTER CASH, lived at the property until their deaths in 2003. Gibb bought the Old Hickory Lake house for an estimated $2.3 million (GBP1.2 million) last year (06) and planned to turn the place into a studio. In a statement, released late yesterday, the STAYING ALIVE singer's spokesman said Gibb and his wife are "saddened and devastated by the news."