Beloved $5 million manor owned by prominent Kansas City family destroyed by fire

A $5 million Kansas City manor has been destroyed after what officials believe was an accidental fire that started in the property's vast attic. Sitting on bluffs just north of the Missouri River, the 15,000-square foot Briarcliff home - owned by local property developer Charles Garney and his wife Patty, is famous to downtown residents - visible from Highway 169 and famous for hosting fundraisers and political events. It took 80 firefighters to control the three-alarm blaze after it broke out some before 11pm on Thursday, according to KCTV. The couple had been at a tournament event that night and returned home separately. Charles Garney was already home and asleep when Patty Garney arrived with their house guest. She told firefighters she had only been home about 15 minutes and was about to go to bed when she went to check on their dog. She then noticed a glow coming from the skylights of a two-story ball room at the center of the house. I determined it was fire because it was moving and I could see it jumping,' Patty told The Kansas City Star. She quickly woke her husband and guest, who then reversed the couple's cars out of the garage, putting the dog in one of them. Patty said she grabbed her cell phone and purse, at which point the smoke and fire alarms were going off. It took the swarm of firefighters more than three hours to contain the blaze. They spent some time inside the home before being forced to retreat and attack it from outside using ladders. Some of them managed to grab valuable items from the home, such as paintings and crystal. The cause of the fire is unknown, but fire officials say it started in the attic and was largely contained by the slate roof, until the ceilings began caving in. Patty Garney said she didn't smell any smoke, even when she noticed the glow through the skylight. The couple want a full investigation. The loss is estimated between $5 and $8 million. Charles Garney believes some electrical wiring caught some combustible material. He said they intend to rebuild and repair the house rather than demolish it and start again. The red-brick home was built in 1995, designed to look like an English country manor.