AUBURN, Ga. -- A charcoal grill fire completely destroyed a Gwinnett County home Sunday afternoon.
The fire broke out around 4 pm at a home in the 3500 block of Tupelo Trail. An occupant of the home and a neighbor reported the fire, and one 911 caller said the entire back of the home was in flames.
Fire officials said responding crews could see a dark column of black smoke from a distance as they approached. Firefighters arrived to find heavy flames and smoke showing from the basement, both floors, and in the attic of a two-story, wood-frame house.
Firefighters were not able to immediately enter the home due to the fire's intensity and partial roof collapse. There was no damage to the neighboring houses.
According to the occupant, he was preparing to cook on a charcoal grill underneath the back deck and went to the front of the house. He was alerted to the fire after his wife yelled from inside that the flames were getting too big. The fire quickly spread to the back of the house and sent flames shooting through the roof.
The occupant and a neighbor tried to douse the fire with a garden hose, but were unsuccessful.
The American Red Cross is helping the family's two adults and two children with living arrangements. The family was renting the home, and there were no injuries.
