Alarm Alerts Family to Fire in Duluth Apartment

A fire alarm alerted occupants of an apartment in the 1400 block of Amber Trail in Duluth early Saturday morning.

An occupant of the apartment called in a report of a sofa on fire in the living room, and fire crews were dispatched about 4:41 a.m., according to Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge in a news release. Gwinnett firefighters quickly deployed two attack lines and extinguished the fire. The blaze was bought under control about 4:51 a.m. and was contained to the one unit, he reported.

The fire caused extensive damage to the living room and sent moderate smoke and heat throughout the rest of the unit, Rutledge said. There was no damage reported to adjoining apartments. 

One family, two adults and two teenage children, were displaced due to the damage. The family was being assisted by management with relocation to a vacant unit within the complex. The Red Cross was contacted to provide assistance with clothing needs. 

According to the occupants, they were asleep at the time the fire erupted and were awakened by the sound of the smoke alarm, Rutledge reported. They were able to escape unharmed and call for help.

The fire appears to be accidental and was caused by a candle left burning unattended in the living room, a leading cause of residential fires in the United States, Rutledge said. “Candles should be snuffed out when going to bed or when leaving the home,” he said.

This incident also shows the importance of having a working smoking alarm, Rutledge said.

“The smoke alarm is credited with saving multiple lives this morning. We could be telling a very different and tragic story had it not been for the presence of a working smoke alarm inside the apartment unit," he said.

For additional information on fire safety, contact the Gwinnett Fire Community Risk Reduction Division at 678-518-4845 or e-mail fireprograms@gwinnettcounty.com.