Fire destroys former letter-writing prize house in Millarville Landing

Fire destroyed a home Friday that was once a prize in a unique lottery.

Calls came into RCMP just after 8 a.m. on Aug. 4 about a house fire on Millarville Landing.

When crews arrived, both occupants of the home had self-evacuated.

Speaking to Global News, a neighbour says he heard sirens at around 8:30 a.m. and came out to see what was going on. He says by 10:30 a.m. the roof was engulfed. It took nearly three hours for crews to extinguish the flames.

Strong winds had neighbours hosing down their homes in case the fire spread, but luckily no other houses were damaged and there were no injuries reported.

RCMP says the house is a total loss and investigators are looking into the cause. A security guard remained on the scene Monday to make sure no hot spots flared up.

“We’re looking at all aspects and considerations with this investigation,” said Cpl. Tory Savinkoff, a public information officer with Alberta RCMP. “These things do take time. As of yet, we are unable to determine … if it’s being deemed as suspicious.”

Neighbours say they were concerned for the owner’s wellbeing, describing her as a good neighbour and a grandmother to everyone on the street. One neighbour said she always took time to look out for her kids and put together special treat bags on Halloween.

5:02 Essay contest to own Cobblestone Manor for $100

The home gained notoriety in 2019 when it was put up as a prize in a ‘Write a letter, win a house’ lottery. The homeowner was unable to sell in a down market so came up with the contest where, for $25, people could write a short paragraph explaining how the house would change their lives for a shot at owning it.

The draw never took place and those who entered were supposed to get their money back.