A Lawrenceville fire early Wednesday morning displaced a family of 11 and left a firefighter injured.
Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services said units responded to a report of a house fire on the 1900 block of Grouse Court NW in Lawrenceville just after 2 a.m. The caller reported that the home had been struck by lightning, and that the occupants were in the process of evacuating.
Upon arrival, firefighters reported seeing flames venting from the attic space of a single-family, split-level home. While crews began to attack the blaze, a firefighter entered the home to search for victims. While inside, the roof collapsed, leaving him injured. The firefighter was assisted outside of the home by fellow crew members, where he was assessed and treated for his injuries.
The fire was controlled by 2:30 a.m., according to the department.
Medical crews transported the injured firefighter to Grady Memorial Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The hospital has released the injured firefighter. No other injuries were reported in the incident.
Occupants of the home told firefighters that everyone, but their teenage son, was asleep when the fire started. The son reported that he observed lightning strike the house above the kitchen before seeing flames. The son then alerted everyone to the presence of fire, enabling a safe escape, before calling 911. The Red Cross will assist 11 family members displaced by the fire.
The department said crews on scene were able to determine the cause was accidental.
