His fifteen-year-old son Michael also suffered multiple serious burns and his father, Hugh Ewart, concertmaster emeritus of the Portland Symphony, suffered facial burns and a broken nose.

The AP described the younger Ewart as a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, but a spokesperson for the orchestra said that he had performed with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, not the Philharmonic.

Ewart's injuries include serious burns to one of his hands, a family friend told the AP. The house was gutted, and its contents, including an 18th-century violin, were destroyed.

Ewart has also worked as a session musician, performing on more than 800 recordings by artists including Neil Diamond, Ricky Martin, and Elvis Costello, and on the soundtracks for movies such as The Notebook and Million Dollar Baby.