(Lawrenceville, Ga., October 9, 2018) – The following is a brief synopsis of a few fire incidents handled by fire and emergency services personnel on Monday, Oct. 8 and Tuesday, Oct 9.  It does not include all calls for the time period.

Firefighters are reminding residents that National Fire Prevention Week is October 7-13, 2018 and all of October is recognized as Fire Prevention Month in Gwinnett County.  “Now is the time to make sure your home and family are prepared in case a fire breaks out,” said Gwinnett Fire Captain Tommy Rutledge.  Look for and eliminate home hazards that could cause a fire to start or grow in intensity.  Good housekeeping is one way to prevent home fires.  Install working smoke alarms on every level of the home and in each of the bedrooms.  Develop a home fire escape plan and practice fire drills regularly.  Keep a portable (ABC) fire extinguisher close at hand to douse a small fire. 

“Knowing what to do in a fire could save your life,” Rutledge added.  Crawl low under the smoke and heat to escape a fire.  Go outside to the mailbox or driveway and wait for help to arrive.  Call 911 from outside and remember, never go back inside a burning building.  If you are trapped inside during a fire, call 911 and give your location within the home.  Close the door to the room to help buy time.  Stuff a towel or blanket under the door to keep smoke out of the room and stay low to the floor.  If you can, try the window as a secondary means of escape.  If you’re on an upper floor, use a collapsible fire escape ladder to safely exit the structure.  If you don’t have a ladder, stay low to the floor by the window and hang a bright colored sheet or article of clothing out the window to signal firefighters.  Jumping from an upper floor should only be done as a last resort.  “The more prepared you are and the more smoke alarms you have, the less likely you are to become trapped,” Rutledge said. 

The incidents below help to reinforce the message of practicing fire safety every day.

HOUSE FIRE - 800 BLOCK OF EMERALD FOREST CIRCLE, SW IN LAWRENCEVILE

Firefighters responded on Monday, October 8, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. to an occupant report of a residential fire in the 800 block of Emerald Forest Circle, SW in unincorporated Lawrenceville.  Crews arrived to find flames and smoke showing from the back of a two-story, wood-frame house.  Firefighters quickly deployed an attack hose line and extinguished the exterior fire as additional crews entered the structure to check for extension.  The fire caused extensive damage to the cedar siding and penetrated the insulation and OSB material.  The blaze appears to have started on the exterior of the home and was caused by a child playing with a lighter.  There were no injuries reported.  The American Red Cross was contacted to provide assistance for the family displaced by the damage.   

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

APARTMENT FIRE – 2300 BLOCK OF MAIN STREET, NW IN DULUTH

Firefighters responded on Monday, October 8, 2018 at 5:08 p.m. to a report of an apartment fire at the Heights at Sugarloaf Apartments, located in the 2300 block of Main Street, NW in Duluth.  Crews arrived to find a small fire in a bedroom closet that was already out on arrival.  The smoldering debris was removed by firefighters and no extension was found.  Crews used a water extinguisher to cool the area and requested a Fire Investigator to respond.  The fire caused minor damage to clothing material and sent a haze of smoke throughout the apartment.  The fire appears to have been sparked by a child playing with a lighter.  There were no injuries reported. 

Equipment at the scene included: 2-Engines, 1-Ladder Truck, 1-Squad and 1- Fire Investigator  

TOWNHOME FIRE – 6200 BLOCK OF SPALDING DRIVE, NW IN PEACHTREE CORNERS

Firefighters responded Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at 11:39 a.m. to a report of a townhome fire in the 6200 block of Spalding Drive, NW in Peachtree Corners.  The caller to 911 reported flames in the attic.  Crews arrived to find smoke showing from the end unit on the right-side of a two-story townhome building.  Firefighters deployed fire attack hose lines and made immediate entry to extinguish the fire and conduct a primary search.  Crews worked fast and contained the fire to the attic area above the unit of origin.  There was charring to the roof rafters and moderate damage to miscellaneous contents stored in the attic.  There was also residual smoke and water damage throughout the affected unit.  Two occupants were home at the time and escaped unharmed.  Per Fire Investigators, the blaze appears accidental and was sparked by a clamp light that fell against paper and cardboard material.  The incandescent bulb ignited combustibles and spread to the other contents.  There were no injuries reported.  The occupants declined Red Cross assistance and were planning to stay with nearby relatives.        

For additional information on home fire safety or to schedule a fire and life safety presentation, please contact the Gwinnett Fire Community Risk Reduction/Education Section at 678.518.4845 or email fireprograms@gwinnettcounty.com.