2 Families Displaced by Duluth-Area Apartment Fire

A Tuesday night fire damaged two units at a Duluth-area apartment complex, displacing two families and forcing a temporary evacuation of one of the buildings.

Gwinnett firefighters responded to the fire around 8:45 p.m. at the Saratoga Springs Apartments on Pleasant Lake Village Lane after a resident reported the blaze. The fire started in a utility closet in a ground-floor apartment and spread to the second-floor apartment and attic, Capt. Tommy Rutledge said.

Firefighters aggressively attacked the fire to stop its progress, and had it under control at 9:13 p.m. Still, the second-floor residence was extensively damaged and there was moderate damage in the ground-floor unit.

The 10-unit building was temporarily evacuated until the fire was brought under control. Five adults and two children were displaced from the two units; the other residents were allowed back into their apartments.

No injuries were reported. Rutledge said the impacted residents were being assisted by the apartment management.

The fire started from combustibles near the hot water heater in the utility room and is believed to be accidental.