Springbank home gutted by fire

Investigators are still determining what caused a Springbank home to catch fire last week.

Crews from Rocky View County Fire Services responded to Springbank Heights Drive around 4:30 p.m. April 4 after neighbours spotted the fire and dialed 911. Firefighters were on scene in about 10 minutes.

According to Gary Barnett, Rocky View County Fire’s district chief, the blaze originated in a small utility room at the back of the home’s garage.

“We’re not 100 per cent sure what caused the fire at this time, ” he said. “However, the homeowner was completing a DIY (do-it-yourself) project, doing some pipe work, just before the time of the fire. ”

No one was home at the time of the blaze. The homeowner had run to the hardware store to pick up supplies at about 4 p.m. By the time he returned, his home was burning.

“Our firefighters tried to make an initial attack through the front door, but flames were already up to the roof, ” said Barnett. “We had to go defensive from the start.

“Even at a 10-minute response time, which is fast for a rural area, it was too late for a burning timber structure with the wind blowing. ”

The fire gutted the home, but crews were able to salvage an unattached garage located near the house on the property.

Firefighters from the Springbank and Elbow Valley stations, along with Cochrane Fire Services, worked to fight the flames. Investigation into what sparked the blaze continues.