Gwinnett Firefighters Respond to Storm Calls

Gwinnett firefighters were kept busy Thursday (May 26) evening responding to numerous storm-related incidents. 

Capt. Tommy Rutledge reported there were a total of 123 calls dispatched between the hours of 5 to 8 p.m. including a house fire caused by a lightning strike, trees falling on homes, live wires down and vehicle accidents as a severe thunderstorm moved through the area.

Rutledge provided this synopsis of the most significant incidents:

House Fire:

• Fire crews responded to a house fire in the 5300 block of Candleberry Drive SW in Lilburn. The fire was sparked by a lightning strike to the attic witnessed by neighbors. Crews found flames showing from the roof of the two-story wood frame house on arrival. There were no injuries reported.

Trees Down on Houses:

• Firefighters responded to a report of a large tree down on a house in the 3100 block of Periwinkle Drive SW in Snellville. There were two people home at the time and both escaped unharmed. The tree went through the roof and caused extensive damage to the attic.
• Firefighters responded to a report of a large tree down on the roof of a house in the 4300 block of Gaelic Way SW in Snellville. Crews found a tree on the roof with damage to the attic area. No one was home at the time, and no injuries were reported.
• Firefighters responded to a report of two trees down on two houses in the 3800 block of Pleasant Hill Road NW in Duluth. There were no injuries reported.
• Firefighters responded to a report of a tree down on a house in the 1000 block of Beaver Ruin Road NW in Norcross. Crews found a tree on the roof on arrival. No one was home at the time and no injuries were reported. 

Gas Line Leak

• In a later incident reported at 3:23 a.m. Friday (May 26) morning, firefighters responded to a report of a grass fire next to a house in the 5800 block of Hammersmith Road in Stone Mountain. On arrival, crews found a small fire in the bushes and an active natural gas leak outside. The fire was quickly extinguished, and firefighters requested the gas company address the leaking gas line. It appears that lightning struck a nearby tree and ruptured an underground plastic gas service line to the house. Ponding water caused the escaping gas to bubble up from the ground until the leak was stopped. There was no damage to the house and no injuries reported. One occupant (adult male) was evacuated from the home due to the leak. The man waited inside the responding fire truck in order to stay out of the pouring rain and lightning. An emergency crew from Atlanta Gas Light was able to stop the leak at 6:22 a.m.

The Gwinnett Fire & Emergency Services Department activated its Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and staffed the Operations War Room at Fire Headquarters. An additional engine was placed in service, and staff from fire inspections and arson were utilized to respond on live wires down, Rutledge reported.