VIDEO: Fire officials now say 40 people lost their homes in a Sunday night apartment fire at Las Palmas Apartments on Seasons Parkway, up from an initial count of 30.
The American Red Cross and a local church are helping displaced residents with immediate needs, including shelter during bitter cold temperatures. Investigators are working to determine what sparked the fire.
Gary Zepeda captured video on his phone showing flames shooting out of the back of his building.
โEverybody was just saying fire, fire,โ Zepeda said. โThe flames started, the smoke started coming out, and everybody started panicking.โ
The flames were so intense that Gwinnett firefighters brought in additional equipment, including two aerial trucks, to fight the fire from above. Several apartment units were damaged or destroyed, with one side of the building showing damage through the roof.
