A Gwinnett County family of seven has been displaced after a fire ravaged their home Sunday morning, according to fire officials.
Firefighters were called to a two-story home in the 5500 block of Arrowind Road, just outside Lilburn, around 4:15 a.m. and found heavy fire coming from the back of the house, a news release states. All of the people inside had already evacuated and no injuries were reported, but two bearded dragons did not survive.
As billowing smoke from the front of the home turned to flames, firefighters aggressively worked to attack the fire from outside, bringing in multiple hoses and two aerial ladders, the release states. The flames eventually extended through the roof, but after about 40 minutes, the fire was brought under control.
The home sustained extensive damage throughout both floors, and a neighboring home sustained minor radiant heat damage to the vinyl siding, according to the release.
The American Red Cross is assisting the three adults and four children displaced by the fire.
The family told fire officials that one of the adults went to investigate a noise he heard while sleeping and found fire consuming the screened-in patio at the back of the house, the release states. The man then alerted the rest of the family, and everyone evacuated safely. Fire investigators were able to corroborate his account.
The home was equipped with smoke alarms, but they did not activate due to the initial location of the fire.
The exact cause of the fire is undetermined, fire officials said.
