GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A woman died Tuesday night when fire tore through her Gwinnett County home, collapsing the roof as firefighters tried desperately to reach her.
Neighbors called 911 around 7:35 p.m. Tuesday, with flames shooting from the back of the house on Round Stone Trail near Snellville and someone trapped inside.
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Firefighters raced to the scene, working frantically to get inside the home. Just as crews tried climbing through a second-floor window, the roof gave way, forcing them back, firefighters said.
Once they got the blaze under control, they went back in and found the woman. Paramedics rushed her to a hospital, but she couldn’t be saved.
The medical examiner hasn’t officially identified her yet.
The woman who died had been a fixture in the neighborhood for over 20 years, according to neighbors. Kids knew her as the lady who kept watch at the front of the neighborhood.
“She used to look after us when we were at the bus stop. She used to just sit outside and wait and watch us,” said neighbor Zaniya Holland.
The fire also killed three of her dogs. She was known around the neighborhood as an animal lover who cared for up to six pets at a time.
“She loved her animals. Boy, did she have some animals,” said neighbor Brenda Christian.
Firefighters did manage to save one cat, giving it oxygen at the scene before getting it to a vet.
Fire investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the fire.
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