3 People Rescued From Balcony In Duluth Apartment Fire

DULUTH, GA — Two adults and a child were rescued from a third-floor apartment building early Friday morning in the 2300 block of Northwoods Lake Court.

When fire crews arrived around 12:30 a.m. at the Montrose Berkeley Lake Apartments, they were told three people were trapped on a third-floor balcony behind the two-story apartment building, according to Gwinnett fire officials.

Heavy fire was coming out of the left-front corner of the apartment building, fire officials said.

Firefighters used an extension ladder to save the three people trapped, fire officials said.

Duluth officers joined firefighters in conducting evacuations of all 20 units in the building, and an officer was injured in the evacuation, officials said. Five people were also injured.

Residents in two units were unable to evacuate due to smoke. Firefighters rescued three people on the backside of the building using a ground ladder while three others jumped from a second-floor balcony in the front of the building before crews arrived, according to the Gwinnett fire department.

The fire started while a person was cooking and it became uncontrollable, fire officials said.

Residents were able to return to 10 of the units as they were unaffected, but fire officials said 16 adults and two children were displaced due to the fire.

Two units and an attic had heavy fire damage while eight units had moderate smoke and water damage, fire officials said.

Property management and the American Red Cross are assisting the residents who are displaced, fire officials said.

The fire was determined to be accidental.

Gwinnett firefighters encourage people to have working smoke alarms on every level and in each bedroom of the home, develop an escape plan and regularly practice fire drills.