Christmas Lights May Have Caused Dacula House Fire

A fire that destroyed the second floor of a family’s home in Dacula on Thursday appears to have been started by Christmas lights, fire officials say.

Gwinnett County firefighters responded to a call at about 6:20 a.m. Thursday to a fire on the 2300 block of Fort Daniels Road NW in Dacula.

They discovered heavy smoke billowing from the second floor of the two-story wood home. All three family members were outside at the time firefighters arrived, but one of the family’s dogs was trapped inside and did not survive the blaze.

A male, adult family member also sustained minor injuries in the fire. He was examined on the scene and released by paramedics.

According to a news release from Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services, the fire began in the family’s den, in the area of their live Christmas tree.

A woman heard a loud popping sound Thursday morning and went to investigate. She ”saw a glow in the direction of the Christmas tree and dense smoke filling the second floor,” the release said.

While the woman said she heard an alarm sounding, fire officials say several of the home’s fire alarms were discovered to have no batteries in them. The alarm she heard is believed to have been a carbon monoxide detector.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, one of every three home Christmas tree fires are caused by electrical problems. Though Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are more likely to be serious.