A man, woman and infant escaped a Thursday afternoon fire that destroyed their Buford area home.
The exact cause is undetermined, but officials have not ruled out "improperly discarded cigarette materials."
According to Gwinnett County fire spokesman Capt. Tommy Rutledge, the residents were napping in the living room of the home on Shelby Lane when they were "awakened by a loud popping sound." The man then ran to the garage and found it ablaze.
He, his girlfriend and their infant child escaped unharmed, but the house was a total loss.
"The man told investigators he was outside near the corner of the garage smoking a cigarette about one hour prior to the fire," Rutledge said.
Two neighboring homes sustained "moderate" damage to their siding, Rutledge said.
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