BUFORD – An early morning house fire in Buford claimed the life of a family pet.
The Gwinnett County Fire Department responded to a 9-1-1 call about a fire at a home at approximately 4:11 a.m on Saturday morning. A neighbor called to report a fire at a home located at 953 West Shadburn Ave.
Fire crews found heavy flames coming out of the roof of the two-story home that was built in 1930. They began a frontal attack first with a ladder truck spraying the fire from above.
Efforts to bring the fire under control was hampered due to a number of renovations over the years. Multiple levels of attics helped to hide the fire and make it difficult for firefighters to extinguish it. It took multiple fire crews over two hours to control the blaze. They continued to fight hot spots into the third hour.
The homeowner arrived at the scene and was able to advise firefighters that no one was at home at the time of the fire. A family member that resided there had went out of town just a day prior. However, a cat belonging to the family member passed away in the fire. No other injuries were reported.
Preliminary information is that the fire started in the front part of the home.
A fire investigator was on the way to the scene to determine the origin and cause of the fire.
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