Two separate fires in Gwinnett County left more than a dozen people without homes Sunday evening.
The first blaze damaged multiple units at the Corners at 1700 apartments near Peachtree Corners just after 6 p.m. Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services reported that a grill fire spread to a building in the complex. Eight people from seven units were displaced, and four others from an additional three units requested assistance from the Red Cross, agency spokesman Lt. Justin Wilson said.
The second fire occurred hours later at a single-family home in the 3500 block of Tupelo Trail near Auburn. Two adults and four children were able to escape the house after the family was alerted by the smoke alarm, according to Wilson.
Authorities said one of the residents went to check on the smoke alarm and found a fire in the garage. He tried to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher and a garden hose, but was unsuccessful.
When firefighters arrived around 11 p.m., they found a heavy blaze in the garage and on the main floor, both of which sustained serious fire damage, Wilson said. The second floor of the house was damaged by heat and smoke and the basement sustained heavy water damage.
A car in the garage and a pickup truck in the driveway were both destroyed by fire, which had to be extinguished by crews. A third car in the driveway received moderate damage. No one was injured, but firefighters said two pet lizards died in the fire.
Wilson said the blaze began in a corner of the garage, but the cause was undetermined. An electrical cause has not been ruled out.
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