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Actress Kate Winslet is being hailed as a hero after carrying the elderly mother of billionaire businessman Richard Branson to safety early Monday morning.

According to the Virgin Group boss, “She carried my Mum out of the house. My Mum, Eve Branson, is 90 and can walk but it was more just to speed the process up than anything else but anyway, she was great. She swept her up into her arms and got them out of the house as fast as possible.

A lightning storm with 90 mph winds struck at 4:00 a.m. Fire erupted after lightning struck the main house, with flames 100 feet high.

Winslet, on the island with her two children, Mia and Joe, and her model boyfriend Louis Dowler, sprang into action when she realized that they needed to immediately evacuate the burning structure.

Branson and his wife and son were staying at a nearby villa. He ran toward the burning mansion as soon as he realized that it was on fire and came upon the fleeing occupants.

Necker Island, a resort property that will accommodate 28, is reportedly worth $100 million.

View gallery of BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS.

Check out a video report below:


Photos: WENN