Floor cleaner causes small fire at Mall of Georgia
A small fire broke out at the Mall of Georgia on August 20, 2026, before it was quickly put out by sprinklers. (SKYFOX 5)
BUFORD, Ga. - A floor cleaning machine accidentally triggered a small fire in a storage closet at the Mall of Georgia, but automatic sprinklers extinguished the flames before firefighters arrived.
Emergency crews respond to fire at Mall of Georgia
Firefighters responded to the Mall of Georgia where a small fire evacuated mall-goers in Gwinnett Country. The fire has been extinguished.
What we know:
Emergency crews got multiple 911 calls at 11:52 a.m. reporting smoke filling the Victoria's Secret store on Buford Drive.
Callers told dispatchers that shoppers were already evacuating the business.
A walk-behind floor cleaner accidentally caused the blaze, but the mall's sprinkler system extinguished the fire before crews arrived.
Firefighters arrived on the scene at 11:57 a.m. to find no visible smoke outside the three-story building.
Occupants inside the store first noticed smoke before the fire alarms and sprinkler systems activated.
Victoria's Secret employees immediately helped clear people out of the store, and Mall of Georgia management assisted arriving emergency crews.
Firefighters stabilized the scene at approximately 12:22 p.m.
Crews used the building's ventilation systems to clear out remaining smoke.
Investigators confirmed the fire was accidental, caused by an electric walk-behind floor cleaner.
No injuries were reported during the incident. On-scene medical crews were used to evaluate firefighters during rehabilitation.
Fire damage was minor and confined to the floor cleaner and the surrounding closet area.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released details regarding the total estimated dollar amount of damage caused by the smoke and sprinkler water.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Gwinnett County firefighters, who explained how the incident occurred and was handled at the scene.