The driveway of a luxurious coastal residence in Malibu, reportedly owned by Nicolas Cage, experienced a collapse on Tuesday morning, leading to the formation of a significant sinkhole in front of the property. The incident resulted in a gas leak around 6 a.m. local time, necessitating the prompt response of authorities and utility services. SoCalGas, the utility company, managed to control the leak after several hours but decided to temporarily halt natural gas services for a portion of the street to prevent potential coastal erosion.
Authorities disclosed that the sinkhole measures approximately 7.5 to nine meters in depth and spans 18 meters wide, extending into the roadway. Following the declaration of a local emergency by officials, an evacuation directive was issued for 31 properties in the vicinity as a precautionary measure.
Despite requests for comment, representatives for Nicolas Cage did not provide immediate responses. Property records indicate that the residence was sold in 2024, with the previous owner confirming Cage as the buyer to The New York Times during the transaction.
The mansion sustained damage during a coastal flooding advisory in the Los Angeles area, attributed to the remnants of Hurricane Marie transitioning back into a tropical storm. While the storm did not make landfall, it brought inclement weather and hazardous waves along the Southern California shoreline over the holiday weekend.
The City of Malibu highlighted that the sinkhole incident is linked to broader coastal circumstances in the region. The city continues to monitor coastal erosion along various vulnerable points, including the Pacific Coast Highway in the Palisades Fire burn area and Point Dume State Beach.
Situated between the ocean and the renowned Pacific Coast Highway, the private neighborhood where the mansion is located witnessed the sinkhole occurrence. Nicolas Cage, aged 62, recently starred in the Amazon series “Spider-Noir” and is set to portray John Madden in an upcoming biographical film about the NFL figure, scheduled for release later this year. With a prolific acting career spanning over 100 films, Cage secured an Oscar for his performance in “Leaving Las Vegas.”