Lightning Strikes, Wires Down, Fires Keep Gwinnett Fire Busy

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — Lighting strikes, wires down and fires kept the Gwinnett County Fire Department busy during Sunday's storms. Here are some incidents Gwinnett Fire reported Sunday:

HOUSE FIRE/LIGHTNING STRIKE:

Firefighters responded at 1:47 p.m. to a neighbor report of a house fire in 1900 block of Green Gables Circle NE in Buford. Caller to 911 reported a house hit by lightning with smoke and flames coming from the attic. Caller stated everyone had evacuated the home.

Fire crews arrived at scene and found a two-story, wood-frame residence with smoke and flames showing from the second floor on the front-left side of the home. The occupants of the home had safely evacuated the home. Firefighters rapidly deployed fire attack hose lines to the second floor to get a knock down on the fire. The fire was contained before progressing into the attic space. The majority of fire damage was contained to the second floor bedroom on the affected corner of the home. Crews noticed extensive electrical damage to outlets throughout the home and checked thoroughly for any additional fire or hot spots. Residual smoke and water from hose lines caused minor damage throughout the home. No injuries were reported.

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Occupants of the residence were notified by smoke alarms activating and a neighbor advising the house was on fire. A total of seven people including three adults and four children are displaced from the residence due to the damage. The American Red Cross is on scene and providing assistance.

The lightning strike also caused a water main in the front yard to rupture in two places. The closest hydrant to the scene was found inoperable and a secondary water source was secured without interrupting firefighting efforts. The broken water main affected nearly 60 homes in the neighborhood according to a Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources representative on the scene. Jackson EMC also had several homes in the area without power.

Equipment at the scene included: 3-Engines, 1- Truck, 1-Squad, 1-Medic Unit, 1-Air/Light Unit, 2-Battalion Chiefs and 1-PIO

LIGHTNING STRIKE INVESTIGATIONS:

· Firefighters responded at 1:37 p.m. to a reported lightning strike at Snellville Police Headquarters, located at 2315 Wisteria Drive SW in Snellville. Crews arrived at scene and investigated the building and found no signs of smoke or fire. Snellville Police reported their administrative phone lines were down and requested citizens contact 911 in case of emergency.

Equipment at the scene included: 1-Engine, 1-Truck and 1-Battalion Chief

· Firefighters responded at 2 p.m. to a reported lightning strike in the 300 block of Collins Glen Court NE in Lawrenceville. The caller to 911 advised the house was possibly hit by lightning and wanted firefighters to check for signs of fire. Units arrived at the scene and found no signs of smoke or fire in the home.

Equipment at the scene included: 1-Engine

· Firefighters responded at 2:02 p.m. to a reported lightning strike in the 1800 block of Gray Gables Way NE in Buford. The caller to 911 said lightning struck the ground next to the home and requested firefighters to check for signs of fire. Units arrived at scene and found no signs of smoke or fire in the home.

Equipment at the scene included: 1-Engine

VEHICLE ACCIDENTS WITH WIRES DOWN:

· Firefighters responded at 3:33 p.m. to a report of a single vehicle accident at Dogwood Road SW and Meadowglen Trail SW in Snellville. The caller to 911 advised a single vehicle struck a utility pole. On arrival, crews found no injuries to the vehicles occupants. The utility pole was damaged at the base with no wires on the ground. Walton EMC was notified of the damage and crews left the scene with Gwinnett Police.

Equipment at the scene included: 1-Engine

· Firefighters responded at 4:43 p.m. to a report of a single vehicle accident in the 2700 block of Barimore Place SE in Dacula. The caller to 911 advised a single vehicle accident with power lines across the roadway. On arrival, crews found a single vehicle that had split a utility pole in half. One patient was assessed and transport to the hospital for minor injuries. Georgia Power was requested to the scene and Harbins Road between Summit Valley Drive and Barimore Place was shut down for approximately an hour until the wires could be removed from the roadway. The scene was left with Gwinnett Police.

Equipment at the scene included: 1-Engine and 1-Medic Unit