Space Heater Believed to be Cause of Lawrenceville House Fire

An attempt to stay warm may have resulted in a fire that damaged a home in unincorporated Lawrenceville Monday night.

Shortly after 6:30pm, Gwinnett County Firefighters were called to a home on the 700 block of Steeple Chase Drive. A caller told dispatchers the fire began in one of the bedrooms. When crews arrived on the scene, they found heavy smoke coming from the front of the house.

Firefighters were able to contain the heavy fire conditions to the bedroom where the flames began. Crews managed to get the fire under control in about 30 minutes.

The home suffered heavy structural damage, primarily to the one bedroom and the attic. The rest of the house sustained heavy smoke damage.

All seven people, including five children, were able to make it out of the house safely. They were displaced and the Red Cross was called in to assist them.

Gwinnett Fire's Lt. Colin Rhoden says the fire was determined to be accidental. "The fire was believed to be caused by an improperly used space heater," said Rhoden in an email to Patch.