A Gwinnett County police officer saw a home on fire late Thursday and alerted firefighters. But it was too late to save a person inside, the fire department said.
The officer, whose name was not released, noticed the flames through the chimney and the roof caving in, according to Capt. Ryan McGiboney with the Gwinnett fire department. The officer tried to alert anyone inside the home of the flames, but the heat forced him back, McGiboney said.
At 11 p.m., firefighters arrived at the home in the 3700 block of Eli Drive in Snellville, a fire department spokesperson said. Heavy fire was coming through the windows and crews used several hoses to fight the blaze, McGiboney said.
During a search of the home, firefighters found the body of an adult, the fire department said. The person’s name was not released pending notification of family members. No one else was found in the home.
“Firefighters faced multiple challenges on this fire scene, including arcing power lines that serviced the house and floor systems compromised by fire damage,” McGiboney said in a statement.
The fire was under control by 11:34 p.m., he said. The cause has not been determined.
“This incident is a tragic reminder of the importance of practicing home fire safety,” McGiboney said. “Firefighters encourage residents to develop a home fire escape plan, practice fire drills regularly, install and maintain working smoke alarms, and look for and eliminate hazards that could cause a fire to start or grow in intensity.”
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