Fire damages historic southwest Calgary home

Ahistoric Calgary home suffered significant damageWednesday in an early morning fire in the southwest community of Springbank Hill.

Fire crews were called to the two-storey home on ElktonDrive S.W. at around 5 a.m. after being alerted by a neighbour. The fire department said the neighbour woke up to the smell of something burning and spotted flames coming from his neighbour's second floor and roof.

When emergency crews arrived, firefighters found found significant smoke and flames coming from the rear of the house.

"A second alarm was struck upon realizing by interior crews that the fire had extended into some hidden areas, the attic and walls. That's basically just to ensure we have adequate resources on scene and are able to rotate crews as necessary," saidCalgary Fire Department BattalionChiefChief BruceBarrs.

The fire department said the home's owner, who was awake at the time and on the main level, reported hearing popping sounds before discovering the fire. He managed to escape before fire crews arrived. He was the only one in the home at the time of the fire.

The home, known as AulockVilla, was builtin 1910 and is one of only two existing homestead houses in SpringbankHill.

The Dutch Colonial Revival-style house is best known for being the early homestead of Alexander von Mielecki a prominent citizen in early Calgarywho made important contributions to the city's early agricultural and educational communities.

The fire is believed to have started in a second-floor bedroom but investigators are working to determine the exact cause.

The fire department said it is not considered suspicious.

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