(Norcross, Ga., Sep. 6, 2025) - At 6:00 a.m., firefighters responded to a report of a house fire on the 1000 block of Riva Ridge Drive NW in Norcross. The complainant informed 911 call takers that her house was on fire, and her father was trapped inside.

Firefighters arrived at 6:05 a.m. and reported fire showing from a single-story, single-family residence. As crew members completed a walk-around, they encountered an adult female who lived at the home and had safely escaped before their arrival. She confirmed that her elderly father was still inside the house. A safety concern for firefighters was that the Charlie side of the structure consisted of security bars on all windows and doors. Firefighters entered the home through a window on the front side of the house and began searching for the victim. The victim, an elderly male, was found unresponsive near a bedroom window. Search teams carried the victim out of the house at 6:11 a.m. to a medical team standing by, who rendered treatment and transport to Grady Memorial Hospital.

Meanwhile, other fire crews on the scene deployed a firehose to combat the flames, which originated in a bedroom and extended to the attic. Search teams confirmed that there were no other victims inside the structure. Jackson EMC and Atlanta Gas Light responded to the scene to secure utilities. 

There were no other injuries reported in connection with this fire. The daughter was later transported from the scene to Northside Gwinnett Medical Center for a non-life-threatening medical complaint. The fire has displaced two adult family members. Fire investigators said that the cause of this fire is accidental and related to discarded cigarette smoking materials. 

Firefighters want to encourage everyone to practice home fire safety, which includes having a home escape plan. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that security bars on windows and doors be equipped with quick-release devices. While practicing your home escape plan, ensure that everyone in the house can open the doors and windows.

EQUIPMENT AT THE SCENE INCLUDED: 3-Engines, 1-Ladder Truck, 1-Squad, 1- Rescue, 3-Med Units, 2-Command Staff Vehicles, 1-Air & Light, 1-Fire Investigator, and 1-PIO.

Note: For pictures of this incident please visit our Facebook page @GwinnettFire.

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