Firefighters responded at 11:21 a.m., to a report of an apartment fire at the Bridgewater Apartments, 1599 Ridge Brook Trail, NW in (unincorporated) Duluth.  The caller to 9-1-1 reported a fire in Building 400. 

Crews arrived to find a fire in a ground-level apartment that was already out on arrival.  The flames were put out by the sprinkler system.  The fire was contained to a mattress in the bedroom and sent smoke throughout the apartment.  There was no one inside the unit when fire crews arrived.  There were no smoke alarms present in the apartment and are believed to have been removed.  Fire Investigators were requested to respond due to suspicious circumstances surrounding the blaze.       

During the course of the incident a Battalion Chief encountered an intoxicated woman lying in the roadway on Satellite Boulevard near the apartment complex.  It was determined that the woman was an occupant of the fire apartment.  She is identified as Eunok Yu, age-38 of Duluth. Yu was taken into custody by Gwinnett County Police on an unrelated charge and was booked at the Gwinnett County Detention Center.  Yu admitted to setting the same bedding on fire inside the apartment about a month ago, though fire or police have no record of responding to the incident. 

According to Fire Investigators, today’s blaze was also intentionally set by Yu and is believed to be domestic related.  She was found with soot on her clothing and hands.  Yu lives in the apartment with her husband, who was not at home at the time of the fire.  Fire Investigators obtained a felony warrant for First-Degree Arson against Yu.  Fire Investigators will be looking into the claims of the previous fire and additional charges could be forthcoming.                                                                        

EQUIPMENT AT THE SCENE INCLUDED: 2-Engines, 1-Ladder Truck, 1-Battalion Chief and 2-Fire Investigators