EXCLUSIVE: Riddle of Zappos boss's killer blaze: House where ex-CEO Tony Hsieh was fatally injured in fire shows NO damage

• e-mail

Tony Hsieh, 46, died on Friday after a nine-day battle to overcome injuries from a house fire

From the outside, the five-bedroom, waterfront home looks as pristine today as it did when it sold for $1.3 million exactly four months ago.

There is no way of telling that this house in New London, Connecticut, overlooking Long Island Sound is where a fire killed Tony Hsieh, the former CEO of online shoe giant Zappos.

'There was very little damage,' a man answering the door told DailyMail.com before referring all other inquiries to Hsieh's personal attorney, Puoy Premsirut, who did not immediately respond to a list of questions we put to her.

'She's dealing with everything. We want it all to come from one voice,' the man added. 'We're having a tough day today.'

As the 3,100 sq. ft. house holds its secrets, the mystery of Hsieh's death is still shrouded in mystery.

Hsieh, 46, was surrounded by his family when he died on Friday, nine days after he was airlifted to a hospital burns unit 60 miles away in Bridgeport, Connecticut, following the early morning blaze. 

He had initially been taken to Lawrence + Memorial hospital in New London, suffering from burns and smoke inhalation before being transferred in a Lifestar helicopter.

New London Fire Chief Thomas Cursio, who did not return DailyMail.com's calls, has said very little about the tragic incident. 

He told the New London paper The Day that firefighters had to 'force entry' inside the home after they were told someone was trapped inside. It is understood Hsieh was in the basement when the fire broke out.

'They removed the victim, started CPR and transported him to the hospital,' added Cursio. In other interviews the chief has said he cannot reveal the cause of the fire because it is still under investigation.

From the outside, the five-bedroom, waterfront home looks as pristine today as it did when it sold for $1.3 million exactly four months ago. There is no way of telling that this house is where a fire killed Hsieh

BEFORE FIRE:  But the waterfront property appears in pristine condition, despite the blaze

‹ Slide me ›

SLIDE ME: As the 3,100 sq. ft. house holds its secrets, the mystery of Hsieh's death is still shrouded in mystery. 

'There was very little damage,' a man answering the door told DailyMail.com before referring all other inquiries to Hsieh's personal attorney, Puoy Premsirut, who did not immediately respond to a list of questions we put to her

Hsieh, 46, was surrounded by his family when he died on Friday, nine days after he was airlifted to a hospital burns unit 60 miles away in Bridgeport, Connecticut, following the early morning blaze 

New London Fire Chief Thomas Cursio, who did not return DailyMail.com's calls, has said very little. He told the New London paper The Day that firefighters had to 'force entry' to the home after they were told someone was trapped inside 

The home is owned by Rachael Brown, a former employee at Las Vegas-based Zappos, who, according to the company website, rose from a temporary phone representative to being a critical member of the management team.

It is not known if Brown, 47, was at the house when the blaze broke out. Reports say Hsieh's brother was there at the time.

When it was listed over the summer, the house was described as 'polished' with 'year-round waterfront beach glamour' and 'boasting luxurious interior and exterior spaces.' Realtor Bobbi McBride Doyen pointed out its many 'smart' electronic features.

'The coolness factor, as well as the glimmering water view of the 3rd floor crow's nest bedroom hideaway, is something to be experienced,' the realtor gushed, adding that even the 'epoxied garage floor is worthy of a car dealership showroom with a 'smart' garage door.'

Brown sold her home in Henderson, Nevada, in May for a little over $300,000, records show, and spent $1.3 million on the three-story New London house, which is less than half a mile down the street from playwright Eugene O'Neill's childhood home. 

The sale was completed on July 30, less than a month before Hsieh quit the company and which he sold to Amazon for $1.2 billion in 2009.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal called Brown 'one of Hsieh's closest confidantes'. It also said she is a cellist, well-known in the city's arts circles.

She was part of the Vegas Golden Strings lineup that backed Imagine Dragons on Whatever It Takes before Game 2 of the NHL Final in 2018. 

The home is owned by Rachael Brown (pictured with Hsieh), a former employee at Las Vegas-based Zappos, who, according to the company website, rose from a temporary phone representative to being a critical member of the management team.

It is not known if Brown, 47, was at the house when the blaze broke out. Reports say Hsieh's brother was there at the time.

When it was listed over the summer, the house was described as 'polished' with 'year-round waterfront beach glamour' and 'boasting luxurious interior and exterior spaces.' Realtor Bobbi McBride Doyen pointed out its many 'smart' electronic features 

 'They removed the victim, started CPR and transported him to the hospital,' added Cursio. In other interviews the chief has said he cannot reveal the cause of the fire as it is still under investigation. It is understood Hsieh was in the basement when the fire broke out

For years, Hsieh worked to revitalize downtown Las Vegas, pledging $350 million in 2013 for redevelopment. The same year he moved Zappos' headquarters into the former Las Vegas City Hall building

Hsieh was the son of Taiwanese immigrants, who met as graduate students at the University of Illinois. He sold his first company LinkExchange to Microsoft for $265 million when he was just 22. 

He then founded Venture Frogs which in 1999 invested in Zappos — named from Zapatos, Spanish for shoes — and he took over as CEO.

He was worth an estimated $840 million yet lived in an Airstream trailer in Las Vegas. He had a passion for llamas and alpacas and owned a pet alpaca named Marley. 

The area he lived in in Vegas became known as Llamapolis. After leaving Zappos he said he would relocate to Park City, Utah. 

Hsieh was known as an iconoclastic boss. One of his schemes was to offer $1,000 for every year served up to a maximum of $5,000 for any employee who wanted to leave. He believed that if they no longer had the passion to want to work for him it was better to pay them to quit.

While Hsieh became known for his business acumen, it was his philanthropy and his focus on fostering a positive workplace culture for which he is now being remembered.

Amazon owner Jeff Bezos paid tribute to a brilliant mind.

'The world lost you way too soon,' he wrote.

'Your curiosity, vision, and relentless focus on customers leave an indelible mark. You will be missed by so many, Tony. Rest In Peace.'

Ivanka Trump, who previously had a shoe line sold on Zappos, was also among those paying tribute to Hsieh, who she worked with through her fashion business. 

Amazon owner Jeff Bezos paid tribute to a brilliant mind. 'The world lost you way too soon,' he wrote. 'Your curiosity, vision, and relentless focus on customers leave an indelible mark. You will be missed by so many, Tony. Rest In Peace'

Ivanka Trump, who previously had a shoe line sold on Zappos, was among those paying tribute to Hsieh (pictured together), who she worked with through her fashion business 

'Celebrating the life while mourning the loss of my dear friend Tony Hsieh,' she wrote. 'Tony was a deeply original thinker always challenging me to reject conformity & follow my heart. Tony was driven by the mission of delivering happiness & brought joy to all who knew him' 

Hsieh is pictured with former President Bill Clinton back in 2014  

Despite his immense wealth, Hsieh was known for living in an Airstream trailer in downtown Las Vegas. Pictured: Inside the tiny trailer Hsieh lived in, despite his $840 million fortune 

'Celebrating the life while mourning the loss of my dear friend Tony Hsieh,' she wrote.

'Tony was a deeply original thinker always challenging me to reject conformity & follow my heart. Tony was driven by the mission of delivering happiness & brought joy to all who knew him.'

For years, Hsieh worked to revitalize downtown Las Vegas, pledging $350 million in 2013 for redevelopment. The same year he moved Zappos' headquarters into the former Las Vegas City Hall building.

'Tony Hsieh played a pivotal role in helping transform Downtown Las Vegas,' Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak tweeted Friday night.

Sin City mayor Carolyn Goodman added: 'What a tragic loss. Tony Hsieh meant so much to Las Vegas. He was always dreaming, working to inspire and leading others to create a new vision for tomorrow.'

A wave of other tributes have also poured in on social media.

Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang said on Saturday morning: 'I am stunned. Tony Hsieh touched so many lives and inspired so many entrepreneurs.

'His impact and legacy will go on and on. I met his family in Las Vegas - and am thinking of them today. RIP Tony. You will be missed.'

Skateboarder and entrepreneur Tony Hawk added: 'Tony Hsieh was a visionary. He was generous with his time and willing to share his invaluable expertise with anyone.'