(Sugar Hill, Ga., Oct. 26, 2022) – Firefighters responded at 5:05 p.m. to an occupant’s report of a house fire in the 5000 block of Hidden Branch Drive in Sugar Hill. The 911 caller advised the kitchen was on fire.

On arrival, crews found a well-involved single-story home on a basement. Firefighters immediately deployed two fire attack hose lines to the front porch to knock down the flames. With the bulk of the fire knocked down, crews began advancing in the structure to complete extinguishment. Additional crews on the scene searched the structure for victims, obtained positive water, and established a rapid intervention team. During the search, a deceased dog was found in the home. The scene was under control in approximately 30 minutes. The home sustained extensive fire damage throughout the structure. No injuries were reported.

According to an adult male occupant, he was asleep in his room when he heard popping sounds. Upon investigating, he noticed smoke in the hallway and was able to evacuate with two of the dogs. While smoke alarms were noted in the home, they did not alert the occupant. A total of two adults and two dogs were displaced due to the damage. The American Red Cross is providing temporary assistance.

Fire Investigators responded to the scene for origin and cause determination. Following the investigation, it was determined that the fire originated on the stovetop and was ruled accidental.

Firefighters would like to remind residents that October is Fire Prevention Month in Gwinnett County. Help prevent kitchen fires by following these safety tips:

• Stay in the kitchen while you are cooking
• Keep children and flammable items away from the stovetop, including oven mitts, potholders, food packaging, and dishtowels
• Most cooking fires start when someone is frying food. Be sure to keep an eye on the food while you are frying

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: 4-Engines, 1-Ladder Truck, 1-Squad, 1-Medic Unit, 2-Battalion Chiefs, 2-Fire Investigators and 1-PIO.

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