One family has been displaced after a Saturday morning fire west of Calgary city limits burned their home down to its frame.
Rocky View County Fire Department crews responded to a home on Meadow Lark Lane, south of the Trans-Canada Highway, at approximately 4:30 a.m. and encountered a home, an attached deck and garage fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters launched a defensive attack on the structure fire as flames and smoke poured through the home’s roof and exterior walls.
All occupants of the home, including the family’s dog Thunder, are safe and accounted for. The family was asleep inside the home when the fire broke out. The homeowner says he awoke, noticed the back of the house was on fire and immediately moved to get his kids and everyone else out of the house.
The fire was extinguished within hours but the residence was left in ruin. Crews remained on scene throughout the scene to monitor hotspots. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The homeowner returned to survey the scene on Saturday and shared his appreciation for everyone who tried to help.
“I wanted to thank the fire department for coming out,” said the man who asked to have his name withheld. “They did a great job, they were here quickly. Thanks to all my neighbours. They came over, they were there for support. Emergency services brought us toothbrushes and checked on us and (had) teddy bears for the kids.”
The man says his family has a strong support system and they have a place to stay for the coming days. The family was able to recover a handful of items, including the children's bicycles, from the attached garage but the fire claimed the majority of their possessions.
