Fire officials say a house fire in Lilburn Sunday evening turned deadly after a man reentered the burning home in an attempt to rescue the family dog.
Gwinnett County firefighters were called at 6:23 p.m. to a two-story home in the 200 block of Sandra Drive in Lilburn after a 911 caller reported the house was on fire with people still inside.
Crews arrived to find heavy fire in the garage and main living area extending into the attic. Lilburn police officers assisted with door control as firefighters rescued one male from the home’s entryway. He was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Investigators said two occupants were home at the time. One occupant noticed the fire and woke his mother to evacuate, and a neighbor helped her out before firefighters arrived. After she was safely outside, the son reentered the home to rescue the family dog and was overcome by smoke. No smoke alarms were active at the time of the fire. Two adults were displaced, and the American Red Cross was requested to assist.
A fire investigator responded to determine the origin and cause of the fire, which remains under investigation. One Lilburn police officer suffered minor injuries and was treated and released at the scene. Another patient was also assessed and released.
