(Norcross, Ga., Oct. 22, 2019) - Firefighters responded on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at 7:49am, to a report of an apartment fire on the 3201 block of Sunrise Village Lane NW in unincorporated Norcross. This is the Ashford Jackson Creek Apartments. The caller to 911 reported seeing smoke coming from a building.

Crews arrived to find flames showing on the left side of the building with heavy smoke pushing through the roof approximately 20-30 feet in the air. The first arriving fire engine deployed a pre-connected fire attack line while additional arriving firefighters and police went door to door to evacuate the building.  Only two occupants were home in separate units and they were assisted to the parking lot.

Fire personnel advanced their 1 ¾-inch attack line to the second floor of the first breezeway and made entrance into what appeared to be the fire unit.  A second 1 ¾-inch attack line was deployed and another crew joined the fire attack as they made their way into the attic.  Fire and smoke were moving in the attic from the left of the building to the right.  Firefighters deployed a third 1 ¾-inch attack line into the second breezeway located on the right side of the building.  An aggressive attack on the blaze combined with tactical strategy enabled fire personnel to extinguish the flames. Consideration was given to using aerial operations and water turrets from the ladder trucks but the excellent work put in by firefighters allowed the entire building to be saved with hand lines. The blaze did cause heavy fire damage to four apartment units on the second floor.  Residual smoke, heat and water damage are noted to the four units on the first floor. According to Fire Investigators, the exact cause of the fire is under active investigation.

A total of eight units were impacted by the fire with only seven units being occupied.  Property management will be putting these occupants into other units within the complex. It is unknown as to the number of residents impacted. American Red Cross was contacted to provide clothing and toiletries to the occupants.  Towards the end of fire operations one occupant complained of an inability to catch her breath.  The patient was assessed by paramedics and advised that no life-threatening injuries were found. She requested further evaluation at the hospital and was transported non-emergency by a second medic unit. There were no reported injuries to residents or fire personnel.

EQUIPMENT AT THE SCENE INCLUDED: 4-Engines, 2-Ladder Trucks, 1-Squad, 1-Air and Light Truck, 2-Medic Units, 1-Medical Supervisor, 2-Battalion Chiefs, 1-District Commander, 2-Fire Investigators, and 1- PIO.