Community Corner
Milton Fire Capt. Injured in House Fire, Explosion In Lawrenceville
The victim, identified as a retired Fulton County Fire Chief and current Captain in the City of Milton, suffered burns following an explosion in Lawrenceville.
Update - 4:45pm
Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Jake Smith says no criminal activity has been found on the scene of a explosion and fire at a Lawrenceville-area residence Monday.
Firefighters responded to a 911 call just after 1 p.m. at 1371 Sundale Drive in Lawrenceville.
The investigation is now being handled by the Gwinnett Fire Department.
The victim is identified as a retired Fulton County Fire Chief and current Captain of the Milton Fire Department according to Gwinnett Fire's Lt. Colin Rhoden. The man was taken to Grady Hospital with burns to his hands and torso.
Nobody else was injured in the incident, according to Gwinnett Fire.
Three of the family pets did not survive the fire.
Arson investigators say the fire began with a gas explosion in the area of the basement where the man was working.
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Original post
Crews are still on the scene of a house fire and explosion at 1371 Sundale Dr.
The victim was taken to the hospital with burns to his body, but talking when he was being loaded into the ambulance according to Smith. He was home alone, and told investigators he was working on the air conditioning unit at the time of the explosion.
There were also an unknown number of pets in the house. Their status is not yet known. While on scene, we spotted emergency crews giving oxygen to a cat.
"Currently arson investigators and the hazmat unit are taking a look inside to see if they can determine what the source of the fire and explosion were," said Smith.
The blast knocked bricks off the front of the one story home.
Chris Roberts was at his house across the street from the one damaged in the fire at the time of the explosion.
"Boom!" is how Roberts described the noise he first heard. "I thought it was thunder. I didn't know anything happened. I didn't know anything was wrong until I heard sirens getting closer and closer, I looked outside and the thing was on fire."
Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Jake Smith says no criminal activity has been found on the scene of a explosion and fire at a Lawrenceville-area residence Monday.
Firefighters responded to a 911 call just after 1 p.m. at 1371 Sundale Drive in Lawrenceville.
The investigation is now being handled by the Gwinnett Fire Department.
The victim is identified as a retired Fulton County Fire Chief and current Captain of the Milton Fire Department according to Gwinnett Fire's Lt. Colin Rhoden. The man was taken to Grady Hospital with burns to his hands and torso.
Nobody else was injured in the incident, according to Gwinnett Fire.
Three of the family pets did not survive the fire.
Arson investigators say the fire began with a gas explosion in the area of the basement where the man was working.
---
Original post
Crews are still on the scene of a house fire and explosion at 1371 Sundale Dr.
The victim was taken to the hospital with burns to his body, but talking when he was being loaded into the ambulance according to Smith. He was home alone, and told investigators he was working on the air conditioning unit at the time of the explosion.
There were also an unknown number of pets in the house. Their status is not yet known. While on scene, we spotted emergency crews giving oxygen to a cat.
"Currently arson investigators and the hazmat unit are taking a look inside to see if they can determine what the source of the fire and explosion were," said Smith.
The blast knocked bricks off the front of the one story home.
Chris Roberts was at his house across the street from the one damaged in the fire at the time of the explosion.
"Boom!" is how Roberts described the noise he first heard. "I thought it was thunder. I didn't know anything happened. I didn't know anything was wrong until I heard sirens getting closer and closer, I looked outside and the thing was on fire."
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