High winds fueled a structure fire in downtown Buford on Sunday afternoon and caused concerns the fire could spread to nearby homes.
Gwinnett County Fire Services responded to the call about flames and heavy smoke coming from a detached garage on Jackson Street at 1:35 p.m. The bulk of the fire has been extinguished and firefighters are now concentrating on putting out hot spots.
The fire gutted the detached garage and caused minor damage to the rear of the home on the property from radiant heat.
Gerardo, a neighbor on Jackson Street, said, “I was awoken by my smoke detectors going off from the heavy smoke coming from the garage fire. The fire was intense and it even burned the grass almost to my house.”
Several Buford residents said heavy black smoke could be seen for miles around before firefighters got the fire under control.
A fire investigator was headed to the scene to determine the cause of the fire. No injuries were reported.
The fire impacted Jackson Street, Poplar Street and Rowe Street near Willard’s Wrecker Service. With the streets being closed until the fire department is finished, drivers are advised to avoid the area.
