Lawrenceville teenager injured during storms

LAWRENCEVILLE - A teenage girl was apparently injured by lightning Tuesday night while standing in the doorway of a house in Lawrenceville.

Gwinnett County Fire Department spokesman Tommy Rutledge says she was taken to a hospital for evaluation. There was no immediate word on the extent of her injuries or her condition.

Capt. Rutledge has also updated the storm-related incidents in Gwinnett Tuesday night, saying there were at least seven homes and two businesses in the county struck by lightning during several storms, most in North Gwinnett.

Rutledge says a powerful line of thunderstorms moved through portions of the county between 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Gwinnett County was placed under a severe thunderstorm warning as storms packing intense cloud to ground lightning, wind, heavy rain, and thunder pushed through.

According to emergency dispatchers, there were 390 calls per hour coming into the 911 center at the height of the storm. Incidents included several reports of live wires down, fires, alarm calls, and vehicle accidents, in addition to the lightning strikes and fires.

Here, as provided by Capt. Rutledge, is a detailed rundown of some of the calls that were answered:

HOUSE FIRES:

Firefighters responded at 7:31 p.m. to a report of a house fire in the 3500 block of Flat Run Drive, SE in Bethlehem. The caller reported smelling smoke in the attic from a lightning strike. Crews found visible damage to the roof, but no signs of smoke or fire on arrival.

HOUSE FIRE:

Firefighters responded at 8:05 p.m. to a report of a house fire in the 2600 block of Dawning Day Drive in Dacula. The caller reported smoke inside the house from a lightning strike. Crews found an electrical odor inside the house, but no flames on arrival.

HOUSE FIRE:

Firefighters responded at 8:57 p.m. to a report of a house fire in the 2400 block of Ashbourne Drive, NE in Lawrenceville. The caller reported a possible lightning strike to the neighbors house. Crews found evidence of a lightning strike nearby, but no damage to the structure.

HOUSE FIRE:

Firefighters responded at 9:07 p.m. to a report of a house fire in the 1200 block of Della Way, NW in Lawrenceville. The caller reported a possible lightning strike. Crews found a tree on fire close to the residence on arrival. Firefighters checked the structure for damage.

HOUSE FIRE:

Firefighters responded at 9:11 p.m. to a report of a lightning strike and house fire in the 2700 block of Blakely Drive, NE in Suwanee. The caller reported smelling smoke inside the townhome and the alarms going off. Crews found light smoke from a clothes dryer due to lightning.

HOUSE FIRE:

Firefighters responded at 9:25 p.m. to a report of a lightning strike and house fire in the 2400 block of Legacy Maple Drive, NE in Braselton. Neighbors called 9-1-1 to report smoke and flames coming from the attic of a large two-story house on a full basement. Crews found heavy fire showing from the second floor and attic on arrival. The blaze caused heavy damage to the structure. No one was home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported. Units from Gwinnett County and Hall County responded to the scene.

HOUSE FIRE:

Firefighters responded at 9:45 p.m. to a report of a lightning strike and house fire in the 500 block of Rosedown Way, NE in Lawrenceville. The caller reported a haze of smoke inside the house.

BUSINESS FIRE:

Firefighters responded at 8:53 p.m. to a report of a business fire at the Lifetime Fitness at 1823 North Brown Road, NW in Lawrenceville. Staff from the center called 9-1-1 to report a lightning strike and smell of smoke in the pool area. Crews found six tripped electrical breakers and a slight smoke odor on arrival. Power was also out to the building. The center was open at the time and no injuries were reported.

BUSINESS FIRE:

Firefighters responded at 9:14 p.m. to a report of report of a business fire at the Gwinnett County Police Department - North Precinct at 2735 Mall of Georgia Boulevard in Buford. Officers were reporting an apparent lightning strike and smoke inside the building. Crews found active smoke inside the building and a sprinkler head activated on arrival. Minor damage was reported.

TRAUMATIC INJURY:

Firefighters responded at 9:28 p.m. to a report of a person that was possibly injured due to lightning at a private residence in the 2800 block of Cove Crossing Drive in Lawrenceville. A teenage girl was reportedly standing in the doorway when lightning struck nearby. She fell and sustained minor injuries. The girl was transported to the hospital (non-emergency) for evaluation.