Father Rescued from Burning Norcross Home After Security Bars Trap Him Inside

A 6 a.m. house fire in Norcross sent two family members to the hospital Saturday morning after firefighters had to break through a window to rescue an elderly man trapped by security bars.

Here’s what happened: A woman called 911 saying her house was on fire and her father couldn’t get out. When firefighters arrived at the home on Riva Ridge Drive five minutes later, they found flames shooting from the single-story house — and a major problem.

The Security Bar Dilemma

Every window and door on the back of the house had security bars. No quick-release mechanisms. No easy way in or out.

The woman had escaped before firefighters arrived, but her elderly father was still inside. Crews smashed through a front window to get in, searching through smoke until they found him unconscious near a bedroom window at 6:11 a.m.

Medical teams rushed him to Grady Memorial Hospital. His daughter was later taken to Northside Gwinnett Medical Center for a non-life-threatening medical issue.

What Caused the Fire

Fire investigators traced the blaze back to discarded cigarette materials in a bedroom. The flames spread to the attic before crews got them under control.

Both family members are now displaced from their home.

The Bigger Picture on Home Safety

The National Fire Protection Association recommends all security bars have quick-release devices that let you open them from inside without keys or tools. When you practice your home escape plan (you do have one, right?), make sure everyone — including kids and elderly family members — can actually open all the windows and doors.