Rocket man: Mario Balotelli fled the fire at his rented home
Manchester City star Mario Balotelli got a rocket from his manager after his home was badly damaged in a firework prank.
The blaze wrecked the first floor bathroom and a room directly below at his rented £3 million luxury home in Manchester's stockbroker belt.
The controversial 21-year-old Italian and his friends escaped unhurt after fleeing the fire at 1am, just 36 hours before Balotelli and his team-mates faced their most important game of the season - against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Ten firefighters tackled the blaze at the house in Mottram St Andrew, Cheshire.
The crews used breathing apparatus as they put out the blaze, which was described as ‘a substantial fire’.The property sustained serious fire and smoke damage.
Balotelli was reported to have told club officials that he and four friends had been letting off fireworks through an open window at the house, which had been advertised for rent at £7,500 a month.
Bathroom towels were set on fire and the flames spread but Balotelli has insisted that he did not cause the blaze and that the offending firework was let off by his friends.
Damaged: The bathroom window above the door at Balotelli's £3 million rented house is boarded up
Burnt: Workmen outside Ballotelli's home in Cheshire assess the fire damage to the property
It is believed Balotelli, who is dating Italian actress Raffaella Fico, was reluctant to leave his belongings and valuables in the house but police on the scene prevented him from going back inside to retrieve belongings.
Charred: The fire-damaged bathroom from where Balotelli claims friends launched fireworks
City were made aware of the incident on yesterday morning after Balotelli contacted the club’s player care unit.
He checked into a hotel yesterday and reported for training before being summoned by City manager Roberto Mancini to explain the latest incident in his chequered career.
On Saturday night he stayed in City’s team hotel with the rest of the squad and Mancini will consider him for selection at Old Trafford today
A club spokesman said: ‘We can confirm there was an incident at Mario’s house which the fire brigade attended. Nobody was injured and Mario trained as normal with the rest of the squad on Saturday morning.'
A police spokesman said: ‘The cause of the fire is being examined by fire investigators and the police. However, it is not thought to be suspicious.’
Happy: Mario Balotelli with his girlfriend, actress Raffaella Fico
Madness: Fire crews had to use breathing apparatus to extinguish the flames
Balotelli has been the subject of controversy since his £24m move to City from Inter Milan last year.
He crashed his sports car soon after arriving. It was reported that police found £5,000 in cash in his back pocket.
The striker was reprimanded for throwing darts at the training ground, but last week he insisted in an interview that he was growing up and would steer clear of controversy to concentrate on today's Manchester derby.
He recently moved from the city centre and said he was living in the countryside for a quieter life, claiming to have become 'more settled' - spending nights at home with Miss Fico and friends.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2052207/Mario-Balotellis-3-house-fireworks-let-bathroom.html#ixzz1bbx8tb8W
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