Fatal house fire in Snellville claims one life

SNELLVILLE — A house fire in Snellville on April 20 left one adult dead and firefighters grappling with multiple challenges, including arcing power lines and compromised floor systems.

At 10:55 p.m., firefighters responded to a report of a house fire on the 3700 block of Eli Drive in Snellville. A Gwinnett County Police Officer reported a house on fire with the roof beginning to cave in. Firefighters arrived on the scene at 11:00 p.m., where they discovered a single-story, single-family dwelling on a crawlspace engulfed in flames.

Heavy fire was observed venting from the windows, prompting crews to deploy several fire hoses. A search of the home found the remains of one adult who was deceased.

There were no other fire victims found in the home. The fire was brought under control at 11:34 p.m.

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The police officer who first noticed the fire stated that he initially saw flames exiting the chimney. As he approached the home, he saw fire throughout the interior. The officer attempted to alert the residents and rescue any victims, but the intense heat forced him to retreat to safety.

Fire investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire. The victim’s body was turned over to the Gwinnett County Medical Examiner’s Office for positive identification and cause of death determination.

Due to Federal Patient Privacy Laws, also known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Fire-PIO is not able to provide the name or specific information related to injuries. The name of the victim will be released by the Medical Examiner’s Office when available.