Three houses and multiple vehicles were damaged New Year’s Day in fires at Gwinnett County residences, officials said.
In unincorporated Loganville, extensive damage was reported in the 1600 block of Summit Glen Circle after discarded fireworks sparked an early morning fire, Capt. Tommy Rutledge said.
Five people were asleep when smoke alarms sounded, waking the people inside the residence, according to Rutledge. They managed to get out and no injuries were reported.
“Per the fire investigator, the blaze appears accidental and originated on the exterior of the home due to spent fireworks,” Rutledge said in a statement. “The fireworks were placed in a trash container on the side of the house after being discharged earlier in the evening to ring in the New Year.”
The American Red Cross of Georgia was contacted to provide temporary assistance for the displaced family.
Cooking practices were cited by the fire investigator as the apparent cause of another early morning fire in the 2600 block of Delridge Drive in unincorporated Lilburn, Rutledge said.
“An occupant was heating a pan of grease to cook and fell asleep upstairs,” he said. “Another occupant was asleep downstairs in the den and awoke to a loud popping sound. The man discovered flames in the kitchen and got everyone out of the house.”
One adult was evaluated and released at the scene. The Red Cross was contacted to help the displaced family of six.
“The blaze caused extensive damage and sent smoke and heat throughout the structure,” Rutledge said.
In unincorporated Snellville, a third fire destroyed a work truck and caused heavy damage to a pickup truck parked in the driveway, according to Rutledge. A third pickup truck sustained moderate cosmetic damage.
The 911 caller knocked at the door just before 2 a.m. to alert the occupants.
The exact cause of the fire, which was in the 3100 block of Octavia Lane, is unknown. “It is unknown whether fireworks being discharged in the area earlier may have served as a potential ignition source,” Rutledge said.
The house was not damaged and no injuries were reported.
On Monday afternoon, Gwinnett firefighters were again called to a house fire, this time in unincorporated Lawrenceville. A neighbor saw flames shooting from the garage of a home in the 1300 block of Stallion Run, officials said.
Firefighters were met in the yard by an injured man. He told the crews he walked outside to see the garage on fire, then went back inside the home for his pet bird and his dog.
“He made it out with the bird but was unable to locate the dog,” Rutledge said in a separate news release. “The man was forced out as flames and smoke quickly spread to the main part of the house.”
The dog was found dead by firefighters during a search of the home, he said.
The cause of the Stallion Run fire is still under investigation, and Rutledge said investigators have not ruled out electrical components in the garage as a possible ignition source.
While the man was displaced because of the damage to the home, he declined Red Cross assistance.
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