'Incredibly sad': Fire destroys century-old home in Spruce Grove

A Spruce Grove home destroyed by a fire Saturday was built in around 1915, according to the Spruce Grove Grain Elevator, Museum & Archives. (Amanda Anderson/CTV News Edmonton)

A piece of Spruce Grove's homesteader history has been destroyed.

Saturday, a fire ripped through a house that's been standing in the community for more than three generations.

Officials say a fire was reported in a historic home near Highway 16A and Century Road at around 8 p.m. It took three crews two hours to put the fire out.

According to the Spruce Grove Grain Elevator, Museum & Archives, the home was built by Henry Kuhl in around 1915.

It's one of just a few homes remaining from the town's earliest history, said Spruce Grove Coun. Erin Stevenson, who captured the fire on video.

"This is a pretty well-known house if you've grown up here," Stevenson said. "[I was] hoping that they could get it under control and that this could be salvaged."

Unfortunately, she added, it appears the home will be a "complete loss."

The house is privately owned and has been abandoned for a few years, Stevenson said, and she's disappointed it was destroyed before it could be potentially fixed up or registered as a designated heritage site.

"This is probably one of our oldest homesteads here in the city," she said. "It's an incredibly sad day."

On Sunday, another fire was reported in a small barn on the same property. Police blocked off the area while fire services investigated the two fires.

On Thursday, police confirmed the fire is being treated as suspicious.

Mounties said three youths had been detained in connection with the case, but have since been released.

No charges have been laid.

No injuries have been reported, and there is no word yet on the cost of the damage.

The investigation is ongoing. 

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson.