Unattended Charcoal Grill Destroys House, Leaves Family Homeless

AUBURN, GA – Fire from an unattended charcoal grill underneath the back deck quickly consumed a house in the 3500 block of Tupelo Trail, in Auburn, and left a family homeless, according to the Gwinnett Fire Department. There were no injuries reported.

Firefighters responded to a 3:55 p.m. 911 call from an occupant and a neighbor reporting a fire. One caller said the whole back of the house was in flames.

When crews arrived, they could see a dark column of black smoke from a distance as they responded to the scene. Firefighters arrived to find heavy flames and smoke showing from the basement, both floors, and in the attic of a two-story, wood-frame house. Fire crews quickly deployed fire attack hose lines and began to knock down the bulk of the flames from the outside.

Firefighters were not able to immediately enter the home due to the intensity of the fire and partial collapse of the roof. Crews were challenged by the intense flames and exposure threats to neighboring houses. Firefighters shot water from multiple hose lines and an aerial ladder device to bring the fire completely under control and to protect the homes on either side.

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The blaze caused heavy damage and a total loss to the home and contents. There was no damage to the neighboring houses.

According to the occupant, he was preparing to cook on a charcoal grill underneath the back deck and went to the front of the house. He was alerted to the fire after his wife yelled from inside that the flames were getting too big. The fire quickly spread to the back of the house and sent flames shooting through the roof. The occupant and a neighbor tried to douse the fire with a garden hose, but they were unsuccessful. A fire investigator responded to the scene and confirmed the charcoal grill to be the cause of the fire.

The American Red Cross was contacted to assist the family, two adults and two children, displaced by the damage. The family was renting the home.

The Fire Department encourages the safe use of BBQ grills when cooking outdoors. Never leave the grill unattended during use and be sure that the grill is not too close to the house or the flame is too tall when first igniting the grill.

Equipment at the scene included four engines, one ladder truck, one squad, one medic unit, one air and light unit, one rehab unit, two battalion chiefs and one fire investigator.

Photo and video courtesy Gwinnett Fire Department