Staff Reports
Gwinnett Firefighters were dispatched early Wednesday morning to a house fire in the 600 block of Riverside Road NE in Buford. The occupant reported to dispatch that she was sleeping but was woken by the smoke detector and upon investigating, she located the fire on the front porch.
Firefighters found heavy fire coming from the porch upon arrival which was making its way to the roof from a void space above the porch. Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, keeping the home from sustaining further fire damage. The fire caused heavy damage to the front porch, stairway and part of the attic. The rest of the home only sustained smoke and water damage When crews completed a search of the home they located two deceased dogs.
A Fire Investigator was requested to respond to the scene for origin and cause determination. The Fire Investigator has ruled the fire accidental. The origin of the fire started in close proximity to an outlet on the front porch due to an electrical fault.
The occupant declined Red Cross assistance stating she had a place to stay in the area.
Firefighters are urging all residents to install and maintain working smoke alarms inside the home, one on every level and in each of the bedrooms and to develop a home fire escape plan and practice fire drills regularly. They said residents should test smoke alarms monthly and make sure everyone can hear the beep. Residents should also have a portable fire extinguisher close at hand and provide a collapsible fire escape ladder for upper floors.
