SUGAR HILL — A passerby noticed flames coming from a home in the 5500 block of Cumming Highway in Sugar Hill early Sunday morning. The person called 9-1-1 to report the fire and told dispatch that the home was fully engulfed with no vehicles in the driveway.
Fire crews responded to the fire at 1:21 a.m. and found the 1,000 square foot home with the entire left side engulfed in flames. Firefighters made contact with a neighbor who advised them that the home was currently vacant.
Firefighters quickly deployed fire attack hoses to knock down the flames on the left side of the home and to mitigate the threat to another nearby residence. Additional fire crews used another attack hose to douse flames so that they could make entry into the home on the right side to search for victims. No victims were found during the primary search.
It took fire crews approximately 20 minutes to bring the blaze under control but firefighters continued to put out hot spots. Due to the home currently being vacant, the power, gas and water were all shut off and locked.
The left side of the home suffered extensive fire damage including a collapsed roof. The other part of the home sustained heavy heat, smoke and water damage. A neighboring home on the left side of the vacant home suffered minor damage to their siding due to radiant heat from the fire. No injuries were reported.
A fire investigator responded to the scene to determine the origin and cause of the fire. The investigator determined that the fire started in a bedroom on the rear of the home and adjacent to the carport. The exact cause is undetermined and under investigation.
Attempts to reach the property owner were unsuccessful.
Firefighters encourage all citizens to practice home fire safety. Be sure to install working smoke alarms on every level of the home and in each bedroom. Develop a home escape plan and practice fire drills regularly. Check and maintain home heating appliances such as the furnace, fireplace and space heater. For additional information on home fire safety, please contact the Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services’ Community Risk Reduction Division at 678-518-4845 or email fireprograms@gwinnettcounty.com.
— Staff Reports
