(Buford, Ga., Nov. 1, 2020) –Firefighters responded at 1:21 a.m. to a passerby report of a house fire in the 5500 block of Cumming Highway NE in Buford. The 911 caller advised the home was fully involved with no vehicles in the driveway.     

Crews arrived on scene and found a 1,000 square foot, vacant single-family dwelling with the entire left side of the home engulfed in flames. A neighbor advised no one currently lives at the home. Firefighters quickly deployed fire attack hose lines to control the flames on the left side of the structure and protect an immediate exposure to another residence. Additional crews deployed another hose line and made entry on the right side of the structure to stop the fire from progressing and perform searches for victims. No victims were found during a primary search of the residence. The fire was brought under control in approximately 20 minutes. Crews continued to extinguish hot spots and overhaul the structure including performing positive pressure ventilation to clear residual smoke. The power, gas and water were all found to be locked out and secured due to the current status of the home. Extensive fire damage including roof collapse was found throughout the entire left side of the home. The remaining portion of the home sustained heavy heat, smoke and water damage. The home on the left side of the structure had minor damage noted to the siding from radiant heat. No injuries were reported at the scene.

Crews were unable to contact a property owner after several attempts. A fire investigator responded to the scene for fire origin and cause determination. It was determined that the fire originated in a bedroom on the rear of the home and adjacent to the carport. The cause is undetermined and under active investigation.

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.  

Equipment at the scene included: 3-Engines, 1-Ladder Truck, 1-Squad, 1-Air/Light Unit, 1-Medic Unit, 2-Battalion Chiefs, 1-Fire Investigator and 1-PIO

Note: Pictures of the incident can be located on Facebook and Twitter @GwinnettFire.