The iconic home of a famed woodcarver in B.C.B次元官网网址檚 East Kootenay has been destroyed by fire.

Rolf Heer, in the community of Radium north of Invermere, was pulled safely out the Home of a Thousand Faces, as firefighters tried to fight off the encroaching flames.

The all-wood home has become a roadside attraction, surrounded by several life-sized wood carvings B次元官网网址� many of them done with a chainsaw. It was even featured on an episode of the HGTV show, B次元官网网址淲eird Homes.B次元官网网址�

Heer suffers from terminal cancer and had put the home up for sale.

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B次元官网网址淔orty years of history down the drain,B次元官网网址� he said, shivering in a fuzzy pink housecoat. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know how IB次元官网网址檓 going to handle this. I might be crying for three weeks.B次元官网网址�

He said he had a fire outside the night before that must have gotten out of control.

Gary and Sherry Froescul of Sherwood Park, Alta., had driven past the home on Friday morning and noticed the flames. They drove to a Petro-Canada gas station where one of the employees called 911.

B次元官网网址淲ithin five or 10 minutes, the whole thing was engulfed,B次元官网网址� Gary said.

Heer lived in his showroom. For 40 years, he had welcomed residents and tourists into his home to see his wood carvings, play in his outdoor water park and feed the goats that lived on his roof.

Said HeerB次元官网网址檚 friend, Holly Hahn: B次元官网网址淭here was nothing like this in the world. IB次元官网网址檓 sad for all the children who used to come here.B次元官网网址�

All that saved were a few paintings, his robes, a bit of cash and his prized wizard hats.

Heer was hoping to find a woodcarver to take over the business. He had no insurance.

He alternated between laughing and choking up as neighbours, friends, police and firefighters expressed their condolences, doled out hugs and brought him food.

But the beloved wizard was all smiles as he asked for a photo to capture the end of an era, going out with a blaze.