DACULA — A leaf blower that was left plugged in on the front porch of a residence is the likely cause of a fire that displaced a Dacula family.
Firefighters responded at 8:14 p.m. to a neighbor’s report of a house fire on River Pass Court in Dacula. The 911 caller advised of a neighbor’s house on fire.
On arrival, crews found the front porch of a two-story home ablaze. Once the bulk of the fire knocked down, crews began checking the home’s interior for extension and located fire above the garage and in the attic. These areas were quickly accessed, and the fire was extinguished.
The scene was under control in about 20 minutes.
The home sustained fire damage to the front porch and attic areas with moderate smoke and water damage throughout the remainder of the home.
One adult occupant was treated for smoke inhalation and transported to a hospital in stable condition for further evaluation.
No other injuries were reported.
According to an occupant, three people were at home when neighbors alerted them to the fire. An attempt to extinguish the fire with a garden hose was unsuccessful.
While the home was protected with working smoke alarms, they did not alert the occupants due to the initial location of the fire.
A total of six family members including five adults and one child were displaced due to the damage. The American Red Cross is providing temporary assistance.
During the investigation of the fire’s origin and cause, camera footage from the front door shows the fire starting in the corner of the front porch next to the garage. The family advised firefighters there was a leaf blower plugged into an extension cord in the corner.
Firefighters at the scene determined the fire to be accidental in nature and were unable to rule out electrical as the cause of the fire.
For additional information on home fire safety, please contact the Gwinnett Fire and EmergencyServices’ Community Risk Reduction Division at 678-518-4845 or email fireprograms@gwinnettcounty.com.
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