16 displaced in accidental fire at Gwinnett apartments, officials say

More than 30 people were impacted by an accidental fire that tore through several Gwinnett County apartments Sunday morning, authorities said.

Approximately 16 people and their pets are without a home after three units were severely damaged by the blaze, Gwinnett fire said. Another seven units sustained smoke and water damage. No one was injured during the incident, authorities confirmed.

Firefighters responded to the blaze at the Elevate at Jackson Creek Apartments on Sunrise Village Lane around 9:20 a.m. after a 911 caller reportedly saw smoke and flames as the building was being evacuated, authorities said. When crews arrived on scene, a working fire at the two-story building was located and rescue teams used a ladder to help a resident evacuate from a top floor balcony, authorities said. Two dogs were also rescued.

No one was injured in the fire, but 31 people were impacted.

With conditions deteriorating, an aerial ladder was set up to smother the flames from above, the department said. When it was successfully extinguished, crews went back into the building to put out any hotspots. No one was found inside and the department confirmed that everyone had gotten out safely.

During the investigation, crews learned that one resident tried to extinguish the flames during the initial stages of the fire. The blaze was deemed accidental and was caused by improper storage of flammable liquids near a water heater, the department said.