Body Found During Search and Rescue In Snellville Fire

SNELLVILLE, GA — A person's body was found Thursday after a fire on Eli Drive, according to Gwinnett County firefighters.

The fire happened around 11 p.m. in the 3700 block of Eli Drive, where the roof began to cave in, Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services said Friday.

During a search and rescue, fire crews found the remains of an adult in the home. It is unknown if the person died as a result of the fire. The identity of the person is unknown.

When crews arrived, they found heavy fire coming from the windows. A police officer on the scene told firefighters he first noticed flames coming out the chimney, and as he approached the home, he saw the blaze inside the home, fire officials said.

The officer tried to alert residents and rescue people, but fire officials said intense heat forced him to retreat to safety.

Crews faced multiple challenges while tending to the fire, including arcing power lines that serviced the house and floor systems that was compromised by fire damage, fire officials said.

The fire was brought under control at 11:34 p.m. Fire officials said there were no other injuries in the fire. The cause of the fire is unknown.

The person's body was turned over to the Gwinnett County Medical Examiner's Office for identification and to determine cause of death.

"This incident is a tragic reminder of the importance of practicing home fire safety. Firefighters encourage residents to develop a home fire escape plan, practice fire drills regularly, install and maintain working smoke alarms and look for and eliminate hazards that could cause a fire to start or grow in intensity," fire officials said.