NORCROSS - (Friday, March 25, 2011) Gwinnett County Firefighters responded to a report of a fire alarm activated in a business in the 5500 block of Spalding Drive in Norcross/Peachtree Corners on Friday, March 25, 2011 at 3:02 a.m.  The business, AKZO Nobel, is located directly across the street from Fire Station #4 on Spalding Drive near Peachtree Parkway.

Crews were dispatched after the alarm monitoring service for AKZO Nobel called 9-1-1 to report a fire alarm activated.  When the firefighters went out into the apparatus bay, they observed an orange glow from the fire and flames shooting through the roof of the large two-story commercial office building.  An immediate call for more fire fighting equipment was made as initial crews deployed water supply hoses and attack lines to battle the blaze. Firefighters made entry twice to fight the fire, but were forced to back-out both times due to intense fire conditions and a partial collapse.  It took almost sixty firefighters operating numerous pieces of equipment to bring the fire under control.  Crews flowed water from the elevated master streams of three aerial ladder trucks, several deck guns, and multiple large-diameter handlines to extinguish the blaze.  Crews remained at the scene until late afternoon dousing hot spots and assisting company employees with removing salvageable items from the building.  The exact cause of the fire is currently undetermined under investigation by the fire department.  Fire investigators spent much of the morning sifting through debris and interviewed employees of the company to gather information.

The building where the fire occurred houses administrative offices for the company.  AKZO Nobel is a car refinishing-coatings company.  The offices are closed at night and no one was reportedly at the facility when the fire broke out.  There were no injuries reported. 

Additional media information will be sent by the Fire-PIO when available. 

INCIDENT DATE: 03/25/11

TIME DISPATCHED: 3:02 A.M.

LOCATION: 5555 Spalding Drive in Norcross