4 Escape Christmas Eve House Fire Near Mall of GA

Four people escaped an intense house fire Christmas Eve night near the Mall of Georgia.

Gwinnett Fire said in a news release that the home was a total loss, but no serious injuries were reported. The fire occurred in the 2200 block of Kilgore Road, which is just north of the mall area.

The fire was reported around 6 p.m. Wednesday; firefighters got the blaze under control around 7:40 p.m.

Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge said one of the occupants, a man, tried to douse the fire with water from the kitchen sink, but was unsuccessful. He sustained a minor hand injury, but refused treatment.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Rutledge said the outdoor Christmas lights were turned on about 15 minutes before the fire broke out, and the occupants also were using a wood-burning stove to heat the home, but it was unclear if either sparked the fire.

The occupants found the fire burning on the front porch before calling 911. Smoke alarms did not sound possibly due to the location of the fire and initial lack of smoke in the main part of the house, Rutledge said.

Firefighters arrived on scene at 6:05 p.m. and found heavy flames showing through the roof. Due to intense fire conditions and the partial collapse of the roof, firefighters were forced to battle the flames from the outside.

Two adults (man and wife) were displaced by the fire, but did not require assistance from the American Red Cross.

(Photos: Christmas Eve fire on Kilgore Road near Buford. Credit: Gwinnett Fire PIO)