Crime & Safety
Fireplace Fire Damages Lawrenceville Home
A resident told firefighters the fireplace had been used just about an hour before the fire broke out.
A Lawrenceville family is forced from their home following a fire, which investigators say began in the home's fireplace.
A resident at a home at 1700 block of Suwanee Valley Road called 911 just before 10pm Monday evening. They told dispatchers they heard crackling sound and saw embers burning in the attic When crews arrived to the scene, they found smoke and fire coming from the roof of the two-story home.
The homeowner told firefighters the fireplace had been used just about an hour before the fire broke out. Investigators determined the fire was an accident caused by fire from the chimney which went through the attic.
No one was injured. The family living there made it out safely but were displaced.
"Flammable Creosote can buildup in the chimney tube, raising the chance of a chimney fire," said Gwinnett Fire Lieutenant Colin S. Rhoden in a release. He also reminds residents to have fireplaces maintained, cleaned and checked before the first use each season.
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