Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services is looking for a suspected arsonist after two gasoline fires were set in an apartment breezeway.
Two small fires were set in a breezeway at Brentwood Down Apartments in Lilburn on May 16. The fires did not cause significant damage or reach a large size. One fire was doused by a sprinkler and another was stomped out by a police officer who was called to the scene. The breezeway smelled strongly of gasoline and a gas can was found nearby.
Exterior siding on the building sustained minor damage on two floors of the building.
While there was little physical damage, one resident was trapped on her balcony and could not use the stairwell to escape because of smoke, Gwinnett County officials said. The woman was helped out of her apartment by police officers and a neighbor.
The fires appeared to be set in a way that would have blocked residents from escaping the building, which would have put them in “extreme danger,” Capt. Tommy Rutledge said.
Georgia Arson Control is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for the fires. That person will likely face “a host of felony charges,” Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services said. Arson is punishable by one to 20 years in prison.
Anyone with information about the fires should contact the Gwinnett County Fire Investigations Section at 678-518-4890 or the Georgia Arson Control Hotline at 1-800-282.5804. Anonymous tips are accepted.
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