Owner of Mansion Gutted in a Turkey-Frying Accident Listed Bizarre $25 Million Florida Estate Before Thanksgiving

The millionaire financier whose Connecticut mansion was burned to the ground in a turkey-frying accident had put his Florida estate on the market just weeks before the Thanksgiving Day tragedy.

The property in Weston, CT, owned by Tweedy, Brown Managing Director Thomas H. Shrager, according to public records, was gutted after a turkey was deep-fried in the garage, causing a massive inferno. The stunning $4 million home is now deemed uninhabitable.

The 9,378-square-foot home on a 2.07-acre lot had 11 bedrooms and 9.5 bathrooms. It was purchased in 1999 for $2.35 million and was estimated to be worth nearly $4 million.

It’s unclear where the Shrager family has decamped to, but public records indicate that they also own a home in Boca Raton, FL, which was listed for a staggering $25 million on Nov. 9.

Real estate agent Joyce Schneider, of Castles by the Beach Realty, confirmed to Realtor.com® that the Connecticut fire would not affect the sale of the one-of-a-kind property.

Shrager is also trying to sell an unusual property in Boca Raton, FL.

A peek inside the Florida mansion

The unconventional home at 1201 Marble Way features 12 bedrooms, six fireplaces, and three pools—one of which is shaped like a fish, another with a “swim against the machine,” and another for pedicure fish.

Each room and bathroom has a theme—such as mermaids, frogs, and horses.

The listing describes the mansion as a “work of art,” which sits on 0.53 acres.

“As you enter the grand foyer you notice the stunning tile mosaic floors, murals and painted ceilings all done by renowned French painter,” the listing says.

The home also features two staircases, one with marble and tile work by a Canadian artist, and the banister designed by a metal artist and the owner. The other is a tree staircase “as if climbing a tree to a treehouse.”

“The best part is you don’t have to climb down the stairs as there is a hand-crafted wooden Dragon Slide from the second floor to the foyer,” the listing boasts.

The property also offers an outdoor shower and solar panels. Access to that shower is through a metal circular stair. However, there is also an option to get to it on the “fireman pole, as an alternative.”

Naturally, the kitchen is spacious and features a “La Cornue stove with electrical and gas ovens, a pot filler and a Salamander grill.” It also has a wood-burning fireplace, a breakfast nook, a walk-in pantry, a walk-in fridge and freezer, and a “resting area for the after-dinner port.”

“In the middle there is a 20-sitting Norse carved table with Helga and Magnus dragons protecting it. There are tile murals, stained glass windows and ceiling paintings all over the house, also thematic. The kitchen is dedicated to the elements of air and a story of its power is depicted on its ceiling,” the listing notes.

The home also features “alkaline machines throughout the house to turn off acidity naturally found in city water, and insta hote devices to offer piping hot water.”

There is a “mermaid living room and foyer, a reading room, a library and a pottery kiln room for making pots and stained glass,” the listing continues. There is also a game room with a reproduction of a Salvador Dali painting on the ceiling, a pub bar, and a wine celler.

The master “complex” on the estate includes a “peacock master bedroom” complete with a “mermaids master bathroom,” which includes an outside shower, a six-person hot tub, and a sauna. There’s also a “health room with a crystal bed.”

And the listing continues: “In a hidden alcove there is a button that will bring down the Harry Potter ladder for attic access.”

The family room features a “huge Flying Dutchman fan from the auction at the closing of the Chicago Sears.”

Thanksgiving Day disaster

Roughly 1,300 miles from Boca Raton’s peaceful coast, tragedy unfolded for the Shragers in Connecticut on Thanksgiving Day.

Weston Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief John Pokorny told Realtor.com there were about 40 guests at the house when the fire broke out. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

The fire department issued a press release: “On November 28, 2024, at 3:42 PM, Weston Fire was dispatched to 40 Weston Road for an automatic fire alarm activation. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Weston Fire Marshal—however, based on the preliminary investigation, it appears the fire began in the garage and was the result of frying a turkey.”

Upon arrival, “fire personnel located a well-involved garage fire that was rapidly extending into the residence,” according to the fire department. “Firefighters attempted an aggressive fire attack—however, their efforts were thwarted by dangerous fire conditions and structural collapse.”

In addition, a vehicle drove over the water supply hose on Weston Road, damaging the line, which stopped the flow of water for several minutes.

Personnel remained on the scene battling the blaze and overhauling for over 16 hours in total.

It had been raining that afternoon, and Sayje Benjamin of the Connecticut Fire Photographers Association wrote on Facebook that if the rains hadn’t come, the outcome of Thursday’s fire could have been very different.

At noon on Friday, what was left of the home was still smoldering, according to Weston Today.

Friends and neighbors were grief-stricken, with Lesley Muncey writing on Facebook, “Heartbreaking. Thank God all were safe. Dear friends, thinking of you all. This house was built with pure love over many years.”

Neighbor Teresa Gorham, who shared a video of the devastation live on Facebook, was obviously distraught as well.