on the afternoon of 23 december 2015, a motorist passing by saw flames and smoke coming from boleskine house. by the time fire crews arrived, almost 60 percent of the home was already burned. flames were rising up to 20 feet high. the firefighters tried to save the west wing of the house, as the rest of the building had been too badly damaged. the fire was thought to have started in the kitchen, but no one was home.