Disabled man, dog rescued from Lawrenceville fire, 4 displaced

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - In the early hours of the morning, firefighters responded to an electrical house fire that sent a disabled man to the hospital.

The incident occurred in the 3500 block of River Drive SW in Lawrenceville.

At 2:35 a.m., a 911 call was made by a resident reporting that her home was on fire and that the family of four adults was trying to escape. Shortly after, the homeowner informed 911 that her brother was still trapped inside the burning structure.

"I was trying to locate my brother. I tried to pull him out the room," recalled homeowner Yvonne Longmire. "He would not come out. He's mentally challenged. He was scared."

Firefighters arrived on the scene at 2:42 a.m. to find a single-family home engulfed in flames. The homeowner, who had safely evacuated, met with fire crews and confirmed that her brother had not made it out of the house. Fire crews quickly deployed multiple hoses to battle the blaze while search teams entered the home to locate the missing man.

During the search, firefighters broke a window in order to rescue Longmire's brother and a dog from the home. Both were immediately handed over to waiting medical crews. One rescue puppy didn't make it.

"She died from the smoke," Longmire said. "That just hurt my heart so bad."

After confirming that no other occupants were inside, firefighters continued to battle the fire, facing challenges that included a partial collapse of the first floor and compromised structural integrity of the back deck. The fire was brought under control by 3:30 a.m., after which crews ventilated the home and monitored the atmosphere for safety.

The rescued man, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries, was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Two other adults were treated at the scene for minor injuries and were released. The rescued dog was given oxygen by firefighters using a pet mask before being returned to the homeowners for ongoing care.

The American Red Cross is assisting the four adults displaced by the fire. Fire investigators have determined that the cause of the fire was electrical in nature.

Gwinnett County's community fire educators are available to help residents develop fire safety plans, according to the fire department. Residents can reach out for assistance by calling 678-518-4845 or emailing FirePrograms@GwinnettCounty.com.