Man Sets House On Fire With Family Inside, 2 Gwinnett Firefighters Burned

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — Two Gwinnett County firefighters suffered burn injuries over the weekend after a man set fire to a home with his family members inside, according to fire officials.

Firefighters responded to a reported house fire a little after 9 p.m. on Saturday on the 450 block of Highgate Drive in Lawrenceville. The caller told the 9-1-1 operator that her husband was locked inside the bedroom and he had set something on fire, according to a news release. The fire was set in an upstairs closet while the man’s wife, children and mother-in-law were in the home. The wife was alerted by the smoke alarms and was able to get the rest of the family outside to safety.

Firefighters arrived on scene with light smoke showing. Crews entered the home and went to the upstairs bedroom where the man was reported to be. They initially encountered dark smoke, but no visible fire. Conditions quickly deteriorated and two firefighters called a “mayday”, signaling to those on scene that they were in trouble.

The firefighters were quickly found and were led out of the house to be evaluated by medical crews. They were transported to a local hospital for treatment. Their injuries were non-life-threatening.

The man, whose name hasn't been released, was taken into custody on scene by Gwinnett fire investigators. He was charged with felony arson and domestic violence.