With record lows to near-record lows recorded throughout the county between Friday, Dec. 23, and Monday, Dec. 26, calls for assistance were numerous and Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services personnel were kept busy throughout the county.
The National Weather Service issued warnings that temperatures would remain at or below freezing during a 96-hour period beginning 7 a.m. Friday morning to 7 a.m. Monday morning. These temperatures presented numerous incidents and during that period of time, Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services responded to 2,067 incidents county-wide.
Fire crews responded to 52 incidents of structure fires throughout the county. The most significant structure fires occurred in the 900 block of Hannah Creek Court NW in Lawrenceville (Friday, Dec. 23), 5700 block of Leaf Ridge Lane NE in Buford (Saturday, Dec. 24), 1000 block of Pennsylvania Run NE in Lawrenceville (Sunday, Dec. 25), Cortland Portico Apartments in Duluth (Sunday, Dec. 25), 3000 block of Grove View Court in Dacula (Sunday, Dec. 25), 2700 block of Carleton Gold Road in Dacula (Sunday, Dec. 25) and 1900 block of Pierce Way NE in Buford (Sunday, Dec. 25).
The house fire in the 5700 block of Leaf Ridge Lane NE in Buford on Dec. 24 was ruled accidental, however the fire investigator was unable to determine the cause of the blaze. No injuries were reported.
On Dec. 25, a house fire occurred in the 1900 block of Pierce Way NE in Buford. The fire was determined to have an exterior origin, though the exact cause of the fire is unknown. No injuries were reported.
In addition to the structure fires, personnel with Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services responded to the following incidents county-wide:
- Apartment fire alarm activations — 170 incidents
- Commercial alarm activations — 238 incidents
- Residential alarm activations — 60 incidents
- Carbon monoxide alarm activations — 19 incidents
- Cave-in/structural collapse — Nine incidents, including collapsed sheetrock due to water damage, with no injuries reported
- Tree on a building — 12 incidents, no injuries reported
- Water in a building — 485 incidents
- Power line down — 20 incidents
- General public assist — 155 incidents
- Weather related medical emergencies — Eight incidents
