Charcoal Grill Blamed for Duluth House Fire

A charcoal grill used earlier in the day that was stored outside against the back of the house apparently caused a fire that heavily damaged a home in the 2500 block of Augustus Drive in Duluth on Sunday night (April 14).

Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge reported in a news release that fire crews were dispatched at 8:21 p.m. and arrived at the scene at 8:23 p.m. The fire was knocked down at 8:46 p.m. and extinguished at 9:03 p.m., he said.

Efforts to completely put out the fire were hampered by a downed electrical service line to the house, according to Rutledge. The power company was called out to secure the downed line and render the area safe for fire crews to work.  

Firefighters were able to bring the bulk of fire under control within 20 minutes, but were not able totally extinguish the blaze for another 15 minutes due to the electrical hazard. Firefighters were forced to hold the fire "in-check" until the power line was no longer a threat, Rutledge said.

According to a fire investigator, Rutledge reported, the blaze appears accidental and was sparked by a charcoal grill stored outside against the back of the house. The family had reportedly used the grill earlier in the day.  

The flames spread into the attic space of the single-story wood frame house and dropped down into the garage and furnace room. The fire caused extensive damage to the home, he said.

The occupants (two adults and two children) were home at the time of the fire and escaped unharmed, Rutledge said. They were alerted by the smell of smoke and by a neighbor who knocked at the door. 

The family was displaced due to the amount of damage to the structure, he said.

~ Duluth Patch