Arson is to blame for an early morning fire on New Year’s day that damaged the interior of a Lawrenceville home.
According to Assistant Public Information Officer Donald Strother, the occupants were in the process of moving into the home and were temporarily staying in an apartment at the time of the fire.
"Firefighters responded to the blaze at 5:23 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1, 2020, after the alarm monitoring company called 9-1-1 to report a residential fire alarm activated," Strother said. "Crews found flames and smoke inside the two-story, wood-frame house on arrival. Firefighters quickly deployed a fire attack hose line and extinguished the flames. There was no one inside the house when fire crews arrived."
According to fire investigators, an unknown individual made unlawful entry inside the house and ignited the fire in order to cause damage to the property.
However, specific information about how entry was made or where and how the fire was started is not being released due to the ongoing investigation.
Strother said investigators are asking for the public’s help in solving this crime.
"Investigators are trying to identify a possible male witness who was seen on a skateboard in the roadway on Castle Royale Drive as fire trucks were pulling into the subdivision," he said. "Residents in the neighborhood who may have seen or heard anything suspicious during the overnight hours or encountered the male on the skateboard are asked to please contact the authorities."
Anyone with information about the fire or the person responsible can contact the Gwinnett Fire Investigations at 678-518-4890 or the Georgia Arson Control Hotline at 1.800.282.5804. Georgia Arson Control, Inc. offers a REWARD of UP TO $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible. Arson is a serious felony crime and is punishable by imprisonment and associated fines.
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