Fire destroys Snellville home

SNELLVILLE, Ga. — An intense fire destroyed a home on Norris Lake Monday afternoon.

Late Monday, the Gwinnett County Fire Department told Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh the home also housed a fire extinguisher repair business.

A police officer was the first to see the flames just before 2 p.m. He then alerted the fire department.

"God saved my life again," said Wilma Graham, who lived inside the home.

Graham told Kavanaugh she was the only one inside the Snellville home on Lake Drive when the fire started.

"I was trying to go to sleep and I could not go to sleep and I kept smelling something," Graham said.

She said it smelled like an electrical burn. She looked out back and saw flames coming from near her balcony.

Graham said she grabbed her dogs and ran out of the house barefoot.

When Kavanaugh arrived at the home, thick smoke still filled the neighborhood surrounding everything in sight. Firefighters said several buildings on the property caught fire.

"One is a wooden shed, one is a metal building. There are three vehicles involved so there are a number
of different types of materials involved in this," said Capt. Tommy Rutledge from the Gwinnett County Fire Department.

Graham said her family lost everything, but said she remains optimistic about tomorrow.

"I am excited. God has always provided for me and I know something great is coming from this," Graham said.

Firefighters aren't sure if the fire originated in one the sheds, one of the vehicles or inside the home.

They are continuing their investigation.

WSBTV