Firefighters battle lightning-related fires in Lawrenceville area in Georgia
From Staff Reports
July 21, 2016
Gwinnett County firefighters found themselves responding to multiple fires in the Lawrenceville area that may have been caused by lightning from storms that moved through the area Thursday afternoon.
Capt. Tommy Rutledge said the most severe fire was at a two-story brick and wood frame house on the 1400 block of Azalea Drive in unincorporated Lawrenceville. Crews responded to the fire at 4:45 p.m. and found flames shooting through the roof and from the second floor. Rutledge said the residents of the house were not home when the fire occurred, and no one was injured while firefighters battled it.
“Firefighters quickly deployed attack hose lines to battle the blaze and conduct a primary search,” Rutledge said in a statement. “The fire burned away much of the roof and caused heavy damage to the structure and contents.”
Among the other lightning-related fires was a fire at a home on the 1600 block of Highland Oaks Way in unincorporated Lawrenceville. Rutledge said crews responded at 4:05 p.m. and found flames and smoke coming from a roof peak on the house. He added a woman and children lived at the house but were outside and safe when firefighters arrived at the house.
Roofing material and exterior siding had to be removed by firefighters to make sure they put the entire fire out, Rutledge said.
The other fire happened on the 500 block of Brandy Creek Circle in unincorporated Lawrenceville. Rutledge said a resident at the home called 911 to report a lightning strike and crews found flames coming from the attic and roof when they arrived at 4:23 p.m.
“The fire caused heavy damage to the roof on the right side and extensive damage inside part of the living space,” Rutledge said.