Dogs reunite with family after devastating Buford house fire
1800 block of Patrick Mill Place NE in Buford on Jan. 21, 2024.
BUFORD, Ga. - Two pet dogs trapped inside a burning Buford home were reunited with their owners early Sunday morning.
Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services responded to the 911 call in the 1800 block of Patrick Mill Road Place NE in Buford just after 6 a.m. A single-story, single-family house was fully engulfed in flames. The fire team says despite it being below 12 degrees Fahrenheit, the fire was so hot that the next door neighbor's siding melted.
The crew used multiple hoses to tackle the fire and gained control within 30 minutes. A search team went in to look for the two pups and successfully reunited them with their owners.
Through a preliminary investigation, officials learned the fire began while the homeowner was sleeping. The owner said he heard a loud "boom" that startled him out of his sleep. That's when he discovered the fire in his garage.
One adult was treated and released on scene for non-life-threatening injuries. No other injuries were reported.
The home was declared a complete loss. The American Red Cross is expected to assist the family.
On Monday morning, the fire department said that the house belonged to an employee of Gwinnett County Fire & Emergency Services. Department staff are helping the family and keeping the county updated with any concerns and needs.