Surrey fire destroys former home of famous magician Leon Mandrake - Action News
Home WebMail Tuesday, November 26, 2024, 06:07 AM | Calgary | -17.5°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
British Columbia

Surrey fire destroys former home of famous magician Leon Mandrake

Surrey city council considered giving heritage status to the old home an idea first brought before council in 2008, according to city documents.

Witness said he saw 10 to 15 people with dogs, bags running out of burning house

Firefighters battle to stop a fire in Surrey, B.C. at a home neighbours say was slated to be demolished. (Shane MacKichan)

A Surrey, B.C. home that was destroyed by fire was the former home of Leon Mandrake or 'Mandrake the Magician,' a local performer known around the world for his magic, illusions and stunts.

Leon Mandrake, or "Mandrake the Magician", was a famous entertainer in the vaudeville-era and beyond. He died in Surrey, B.C. in 1993. (CBC Archives)

Mandrake owned thehouse on thecorner ofGrosvenorRoad andKindersleyDrive before his death in 1993.

Surrey city council considered giving heritage status to the old home anidea first brought before council in 2008, according to city documents.

The home was still being considered for heritage status as recently as May 2015.

Neighbours awoke to seeraging flames and smoke early Sunday morningas the fire spewed ash that could be seen for kilometres.

One witness said the building was slated for demolitionand was thought to be empty.

NeighbourJoshuaDesmaraischarged outside to see if anybody was in the house.

Joshua Desmarais said he awoke to see 25-foot flames and a small crowd of people fleeing a large house on fire, with dogs and duffle bags in tow. (CBC)

"All I saw was people with dogs and bags piling out of the house... there must have been ten or 15 people. Five orsix big dogs and backpacks anddufflebags and suitcases," saidDesmarais.

He saw one man in a red shirt take off running down the street after a womantold him there was propane in the house.

"It was huge.There must have been 25-foot flames above the roof of thehouse. It was intense," he said.

"It was scary."

Firefighters describe the blaze as very difficult to manage. (Shane MacKichan)
Fire at a Surrey, B.C. home that started early Sunday morning spewed smoke that was visible from as far away as the Port Mann Bridge. (Shane MacKichan)

With files from Bal Brach