Residents were forced to evacuate their Gwinnett County home Wedesday night after seeing an orange glow and smoke pouring from under their kitchen door.

By the time fire crews arrived at the home in the 2000 block of Fence Road in Dacula, Gwinnett fire officials said flames had already reached a second story and were shooting through the roof.

“Flames were showing on the back left side of the house which is where the kitchen is located,” fire spokesman Donald Strother said in a news release. “We believe this is where the fire originated.”

Crews pulled up to the scene about 8:15 p.m. and had the flames knocked down 30 minutes later, Strother said. By 9:20 p.m., the fire was under control.

“Thankfully, there were no injuries to report as three adults, one child and a dog were out of the home when crews arrived,” he said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but Strother said it appears accidental. Fire investigators were unable to rule out a potential electrical cause, he said.

The home was heavily damaged in the fire. The Red Cross is working to assist the displaced residents.

Fire officials urge residents to keep their families safe by installing working smoke alarms throughout their homes, developing a fire escape plan and keeping a portable fire extinguisher close by.

For more home fire safety information, contact the Gwinnett Fire Community Risk Reduction Division at 678-518-4845.

In other news:

Police in Cobb County say an accidental fire was a murder.

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