Gwinnett Fire Department Douses Duplex Fire

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — Gwinnett firefighters made quick work of getting a Lawrenceville fire under control Thursday morning, according to a release from the department.

Firefighters heading to the 400 block of Downing Street in Lawrenceville around 7:30 a.m. noticed a thick column of smoke and called additional units as backup. They arrived to find a two-story duplex with "heavy fire" showing from the back.

Firefighters were told there was possibly a person inside, but they found nobody.

The flames engulfed the second floor and eventually broke through the roof, the release says.The fire caused "heavy damage" to the back of the building.

One firefighter sustained a minor ankle injury during the fire.

Investigators say the residents were home when the fire started, and were alerted by a noise on the back porch. They're still investigating the cause of the fire, but "are unable to rule out" an open flame from a bug repellent candle.

(For more news like this, sign up for Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news in Lawrenceville — or other neighborhoods. Access Patch on the go with our iPhone app or our brand new app for Android phone users.)

Firefighters are sharing these tips with the public:

• Extinguish all candles when leaving a room or before going to sleep.
• Be sure the wick ember is no longer glowing.
• Keep burning candles away from furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, book, paper, and flammable decorations.
• Keep burning candles out of reach the reach of children and pets