A fire tore through a Gwinnett County apartment building late Monday morning, leaving more than a dozen people displaced, officials said.
Crews responded around 10:45 a.m. to The Residences on McGinnis Ferry in Suwanee after a 911 caller stated there was a fire on the balcony of a third-floor apartment, according to Gwinnett fire. Firefighters arrived at the three-story building and deployed three hose lines to extinguish the flames, which had extended into the attic space from the third-floor unit.
While navigating the smoke and intense heat, crews evacuated five people from the impacted apartments and put out the blaze. The lower-level floors were also cleared, but officials said the fire never reached the area.
“Once the fire was controlled, heavy fire damage was found in the initial fire unit on the third floor and approximately five other adjacent units were heavily water-damaged,” Gwinnett Fire said. “No injuries or medical complaints were found on the scene.”
According to investigators, the fire started in the third-floor balcony and was determined to be accidental.