B.C. village mourns loss of its ‘House of a Thousand Faces’
Fire razes handbuilt Radium log house that featured dozens of unusual carvings
The House of a Thousand Faces in Radium, B.C., has burned to the ground, despite fire crews’ efforts to extinguish flames at the unusual landmark on Friday.
The building went up in flames around just after 10 a.m., said village Coun. Mike Grey.
“I got a call saying that the woodcarver Rolf ’s place was on fire,” he said.
“We came running down and we were here around the same time the fire department arrived and it was absolutely engulfed — there was no hope from the beginning.”
The fire dropped hydro lines in the area, forcing Highway 93 to close. Drive BC said it was expected to reopen at 4 p.m.
The building, along with its owner Rolf Heer, have been staples in the village for decades, Grey said.
Handmade by Heer, the building featured several layers of wood built into the shape of a tree house featuring eccentric carvings.
“Rolf is an iconic landmark in the village — he’s an absolute character that we’ve been very fortunate to have in our village for many, many years,” said Grey.
“The house that he built is handbuilt by him; it’s all out of logs that he carved faces into. It’s just an absolute extension of himself.”
Thankfully, Grey said, Heer made it out of the building safe.
“I’m sure it’s ripping his heart out as I’m sure (it is for) the rest of us in the village here,” Grey said. “Many people are walking around with tears in their eyes.”
Grey said fire crews from the village, as well as others from Invermere and Windermere, B.C., responded to the scene.