Eight family members managed to escape a Gwinnett County house fire Friday evening before their home was destroyed.
Firefighters responded to the blaze on Cruiser Run in unincorporated Lawrenceville shortly after 11 p.m, Gwinnett fire Lt. Justin Wilson said.
The 911 caller told dispatchers they woke up to find the basement was on fire, and that the home’s occupants — four children and four adults — were forced to evacuate.
When firefighters arrived, the two-story home was engulfed in flames with smoke billowing out the front door and attic, Wilson said.
“As firefighters entered the structure from the front door and made their way up the stairs, conditions were rapidly deteriorating with flames breaking through the roof,” he said, so the decision was made to keep firefighters outside and focus on containing the blaze.
By the time the flames were extinguished, the home was destroyed, Wilson said. No injuries were reported, however, and firefighters managed to keep the fire from spreading to surrounding houses.
Investigators said the fire began near the garage, but they’re still working to determine an exact cause.
In the meantime, the American Red Cross is providing temporary assistance to the displaced family of eight.
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