3 Rescued, 20 Displaced In Norcross Apartment Blaze

NORCROSS, GA — Three people were rescued from a Thursday morning blaze at the Elliott Apartments in the 1300 block of Graves Road, according to the Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services.

Fire officials said the massive fire was intentional and incendiary in nature.

Firefighters responded to the apartment complex around 6:45 a.m., when they saw smoke coming from the back of a three-story building. Fire was also found in the attic of the building.

Two adults and a child were trapped by the fire on the second floor, fire officials said. Crews used a ladder to rescue the three people from a window.

Once the fire was controlled, heavy fire damage was found in three units, with smoke and water damage to the three lower-level apartment units, fire officials said.

A man was taken to Northside Gwinnett Hospital in critical condition while three other people were evaluated and released on the scene, fire officials said.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers removed one person from the breezeway before Gwinnett County firefighters arrived, fire officials said.

Fire officials said active smoke alarms were present.

Twenty people were displaced, and six apartments were impacted, in the fire. Fire officials said apartment management and the American Red Cross will be assisting all displaced tenants and provide another place for them to stay while repairs are being conducted.