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GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - Lightning strikes sparked two residential fires in Gwinnett County Tuesday afternoon.

Gwinnett County firefighters responding to reports of a house fire in the 5900 block of Morgan Drive in Doraville found the home fully engulfed when crews arrived.

"It had extensive damage to the attic area. There was no one home at the time when we got here”, said Gwinnett Fire Capt. G.W. Wright.

Three pets inside the home when the fire broke out died in the blaze.

Neighbor Mary Koch said someone banged on her front door telling her that her next door neighbor’s hose was on fire.

"Flames were just coming out of the windows, out of the roof. It was totally engulfed. It was terrifying."

Fire officials told FOX 5 News, a lightning strike also caused a fire at the Chelsea 88 apartments on Herrington Road in Duluth.

Officials said 21 people were displaced when lightning hit the roof of one of the buildings and a fire broke out.

“Right now firefighters do say this was caused by a lightning strike. There was a strong storm moving through this area at the time they got the call at around 4 p.m.,” reported Gwinnett County Fire PIO Tommy Rutledge.

Everyone made it out safely. Firefighters said 13 units were affected. The Red Cross is assisting fire victims.