Fire departments from three nearby municipalities responded to a house fire south of Okotoks on March 4, but it was too late to save the home.

Firefighters battle a house fire south of Okotoks just before 6 p.m. on March 4. Damaged is estimated at nearly $1 million but no injuries were reported.

The Asuchak family which includes Ben, his wife Wanda, and children Tanner, 13, Nicholas, 10 and Braeden, 8 have been left homeless as a result of the fire.

At approximately 5:45 p.m. the blaze, which gutted the inside of the home belonging to the Asuchaks, started in a mechanical room in the basement of the house. No injuries were reported as the home was vacant at the time of the fire. The parents had left to pick up children in Okotoks at 5:10 p.m. returning at 5:45 p.m.

“I ran down the driveway and the top bedroom was completely black with smoke,” said Wanda.

Fire officials estimated the damage to be nearly $1 million. The Asuchaks purchased their home a year and half ago for $975,000.

“Honestly my first thought was, ‘I’ve got all my kids. Nobody is in the house,’ and I was just relieved with that,” said Wanda.

The family lost all their possessions including a vehicle in an attached garage due to smoke damage. Wanda was still in shock four days after the fire.

She went to buy some personal items to replace those lost in the blaze but walked out of the store without purchasing anything, not knowing where to begin.

“It was pretty overwhelming walking into the store and realizing that I pretty much need one of everything,” she said.

Okotoks deputy fire chief Jim Smith was the on-scene commander during the fire and firefighters battled the blaze until approximately midnight last Thursday.

According to Smith, arson is not suspected at this point.

“The house was full of smoke and fire was showing from the rear of the structure,” said Smith.

This is the third house fire of 2010 to hit Okotoks.

In total, 20 fire fighters from Okotoks, High River and Black Diamond responded to a 911 call from neighbours.

Jarin Lyons, 15, lives next door to the Asuchaks. He saw smoke billowing out of the Asuchak’s home, ran back inside and told his sister, Maegan, to call 911.

“I saw their back deck was on fire,” said Lyons.

Lyons found the Asuchak’s dog, Jack, and brought it to safety.

Dave Bowering, an Edmonton-area photographer visiting Okotoks, happened to be driving by and investigated the source of the smoke.

“We were just coming back and I thought I saw some smoke,” said Bowering.

Stumbling upon the burning house was a fluke according to Bowering. He likes to travel back roads in search of interesting subjects and was returning from Turner Valley when he pulled over and grabbed a camera from the back seat of his vehicle.

“The way the smoke was coming out of the chimney was not right,” said Bowering, who arrived at the blaze around 5:45 p.m.

Bowering stuck his head inside the burning, smoke-filled home and yelled to see if anyone was trapped inside.

By the time the Asuchaks left their now gutted home at 402029 28 St, E., family and friends had bought personal necessities for the family to replace those lost in the blaze.

Wanda said she is grateful for all the calls and emails the family has received since March 4.

“A huge thank you to all of them for being there for us,” said Asuchak.

The Asuchak family is staying with family and friends until they can find a place to rent.

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