A high-end home on the western edge of the city was reduced to rubble on Tuesday and fire officials say there was nothing crews could do to save it.

The blaze broke out at about 4:00 p.m. at the home in Woodlands Estates and the fire quickly consumed the structure.

Thick, black smoke was billowing out of the home when firefighters arrived and they worked quickly to keep the fire contained.

Jake McLellan says he was not home at the time and thought it was a neighbours place that was on fire.

"We saw smoke and thought it was our friend’s house that lives down Woodland Lane," said Jake McLellan. “But we came around the corner at Woodland Estates and saw that our house was on fire."

Firefighters attacked the blaze from a defensive position and had to bring in water to fill portable reservoirs as there are no hydrants in the area.

"You know when the fire was discovered it was already fully involved and so there's not much firefighters can do. They try and protect exposures and put as much water as they can on," said Randy Smith, Rocky View Fire Chief.

Fire crews from Springbank, Balzac and Cochrane responded but it was too late to save the home.

"I feel terrible for the family here. The firefighters want to do their best when they get here, but a totally involved structure is a totally involved structure," said Smith.

A family member discovered the fire and she was able to get out safely.

They do have insurance but say the most valuable items can never be replaced.

"It's devastating, everything we have, pictures of our family when we were kids and everything,” said Jake.

"For sure we're upset and we've lost stuff, but our family is okay so it could have been a whole lot worse. My son could have been home 15 minutes earlier on the bus, in the house, so we're lucky,” said Jamie McLellan.

A new fire hall is under construction just off of Highway 1A and is expected to open in the summer.

Rocky View fire officials say work on the new facility is actually ahead of schedule but residents in the area say it can’t come too soon.

“Would it have made a difference in the fire yesterday? No,” said Smith. “But again, in those circumstances where we are notified early, it will make a difference going forward.”

The fire was still smouldering on Tuesday so fire crews will stick around to keep an eye out for hot spots.

There is no word yet on what caused the fire or an estimate on damages.

(With files from Bill Macfarlane and Ina Sidhu)