A large fire engulfed a Gwinnett County apartment building and left 49 people displaced early Wednesday morning, officials said.
Crews were called to the Elliot Norcross apartments on Sparrows Lane in the Gwinnett Village area around 3:30 a.m. and found flames bursting through the roof of a two-story building, Gwinnett fire Capt. Ryan McGiboney said. The building housed eight units.
Firefighters immediately jumped into action to knock down the flames and search for any victims. After about an hour, the fire was under control and no victims were found, McGiboney said.
One resident, Claudia Maldonado, said the fire alarms weren’t working, so neighbors rushed to knock on doors and warn residents to evacuate.
“We had to race to get out, everyone who lived there,” she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in Spanish.
The AJC reached out to the apartment complex’s management for comment.
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
The displaced residents sat in the frigid morning weather as they awaited help from the Red Cross, as temperatures Wednesday fell into the 30s for the first time since mid-March.
The Red Cross said it is assisting the 28 families who lived in the eight units by providing “comfort kits” and helping with recovery planning. The organization has also partnered with the county to open a shelter for the displaced residents.
What caused the fire is unclear. A fire investigator is working to determine where it started, McGiboney said.
Anyone who would like to help the Red Cross may visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.
