Huntsville Forester

MUSKOKA LAKES - A century-old Muskoka Lakes cottage was destroyed in an early morning fire on Wednesday.

Stone chimneys and foundations are all that it is left of the once highly visible, 110-year old cottage on Lake Muskoka’s Belle Isle near Milford Bay. The over 7,000 square foot cottage was valued at more than a $1 million, said Muskoka Lakes acting fire chief Jim Schneider.

Schneider said only one resident and her dog were at the cottage at the time of the fire, which started shortly before 1 a.m. on Aug. 18.

“She woke up to a crackling sound,” said Schneider.

The woman tried to fight the fire on her own for a short time, but then left by boat to call for help, he said.

She was not injured in the blaze but her dog could not be found and may not have survived the fire.

Muskoka Lakes fire stations received the call at 1:07 a.m., said Schneider. Milford Bay, Walker’s Point and the Bracebridge Marine unit responded to the call along with OPP.

The fire was fully involved when boats arrived.

“It was just a huge fire ball,” said Schneider. Many nearby cottagers could see the flames and Schneider estimates there were nearly 40 calls to emergency services from concerned residents.

It took fire crews until around 10 a.m. to fully extinguish the fire, he said.

The blaze ignited the surrounding brush and left a trail of scorched trees in its wake.

The cause of the fire is not known, but it is not suspicious in nature, said Schneider. The Ontario Fire Marshal’s office was on scene Wednesday investigating the cause, he added.

The grey cottage was known in the area for its distinctive red roof and was often photographed as it was visible from the water.