Snellville, GA – Gwinnett County Fire Investigator completed their cause determination survey of a house fire early this morning and determined the cause to be accidental. The fire was caused by a gas explosion when gas from a damaged service line entered the home and was ignited when the fireplace was being used.
Original post from 11:20 a.m.:
One person has been sent to a local hospital with injuries after a fireplace mishap was reported at a Snellville home Tuesday (Dec. 10) morning.
The victim is in stable condition, according to a news release from Gwinnett County Fire spokesman Lt. Colin Rhoden.
The resident was reportedly operating a natural gas-fed fireplace at the home on the 4200 block of Wellington Hills Ln. when there was a malfunction which ignited the gas.
The victim and another person who lived in the home were able to leave, but three family pet birds perished in the fire. The house sustained heavy smoke and fire damage.
When crews arrived to the scene around 7:48 a.m., heavy fire conditions were found from the front of the wood framed home to the back closed-in porch, Rhoden continued. The fire was quickly attacked and brought under control by firefighters using fire attach hose lines.
Atlanta Gas Light was called to the scene to control an underground gas line that ruptured and was leaking natural gas through the ground. Fire crews checked for hot spots and secured the building for the Gwinnett Fire Investigators who were called to the scene for cause determination.
The incident is currently under investigation, Rhoden said.