Two cats were killed in a house fire in Lawrenceville on Tuesday afternoon.
Two dogs and two other cats were rescued from the blaze, which damaged two homes on the 600 block of Old Johnson Road SW.
The fire is believed to have started underneath the back deck of the first house, said Capt. Tommy Rutledge, spokesman for Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services. The pets belonged to the residents of the first home.
The fire spread from the deck up to the attic of the first house, and then spread to an exterior wall and attic of the second house. The exact cause of the fire is undetermined.
The residents of the second house were home when the blaze started and escaped unharmed. No residents of either house were injured in the fire.
The blaze caused heavy damage to the first house and moderate to heavy damage to the attic and main living area of the second house, Rutledge said.
The American Red Cross has been contacted to provide temporary housing for the displaced families.
