Cottage destroyed in $1M fire while owners were away for the long weekend

Caution tape can be seen blocking off a wooded area. (Dan Lauckner/CTV)

While many locals spent the long weekend enjoying their cottages, one family received devastating news.

On Saturday around 3 p.m. a cottage on Highway 118 East in the Wood Lake area caught flames.

Officials say the owners were not home at the time. It was a neighbour who first noticed the blaze and called it in.

When firefighters arrived, the cottage was already engulfed in flames. Crews from Station 1 and 2 with the Bracebridge Fire Department responded with approximately 25 firefighters working the scene.

No injuries were reported, and the homeowners were notified. The cottage is considered a total loss with damages estimated at roughly $1 million.

The Ontario Fire Marshal’s office was advised. While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials say it does not appear to be suspicious.