A woman was killed Thursday evening when a fire broke out inside a Lilburn townhome, Gwinnett County officials said.

Crews responded to the 700 block of Willowgate Circle about 8:20 p.m. when a neighbor reported smoke and flames coming from the second floor of a unit inside a triplex, fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge said.

Firefighters entered the home and discovered the body of a woman in her 60s inside an upstairs bedroom. She was the only person inside the home at the time, and no other injuries were reported.

Authorities said the blaze was contained to the bedroom where the woman’s body was found. The townhome unit sustained extensive smoke and water damage, fire officials said.

The cause of the fatal fire remains under investigation.

Credit: Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services

icon to expand image

Credit: Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services

The cause of the fire remains under investigation and the name of the woman killed has not been released.

“This tragic fire is a reminder of the importance of incorporating home fire safety practices,” Rutledge said in a news release. “Firefighters encourage residents to 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.”

— Please return to AJC.com for updates.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Ernie Suggs, a reporter at the AJC since 1997, reviews a selection of articles he has contributed to during his time with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as of Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Featured

U.S. Rep. Mike Collins' Senate campaign used Sen. Jon Ossoff's Senate portrait (center) to create an AI-generated video of Ossoff talking about his vote not to end the government shutdown.  The video was reposted to Collins' campaign account on X (left). (Screenshot)

Credit: (Handout and screen grabs)