Buford Home Heavily Damaged by Fire

A Buford family has been displaced from their Gravel Springs Road home after an April 3 fire caused extensive damage to the residence.

Firefighters were dispatched to the house in the 2400 block of Gravel Springs Road at 1:12 p.m. A resident called 911 to report the house was filling with smoke. The residents safely evacuated the house prior to the arrival of firefighters.

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Upon arrival, fire crews found smoke showing from the house.

"Crews quickly recognized that they had a working fire at the residence with heavy smoke coming out of the eaves," stated Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services public information officer Lt. Colin Rhoden in a press release.  "Firefighters quickly entered the house and the crawl space to locate the seat of the fire. Due to limited access in the crawl space and the heavy smoke conditions  firefighters were unable to safely proceed in the crawl space."

In order to battle the fire, crews used chainsaws and axes to break through the floor.

"A hole was cut in the floor approximately 4 feet by 4 feet and widened to approximately 8 feet by 6 feet," Rhoden explained. "The floor joists and hangers had deep charring of the structural wood. All areas of the house including the attic was checked and cleared of fire extension. Crews were able to save the house from extensive  fire damage through rapid and decisive actions."

The home sustained heavy fire damage to the section of the floor over the crawl space and heavy damage in the same area from firefighting activities, Rhoden added.

The fire is believed to have been accidental in nature. 

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