Gwinnett Daily Post

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LAWRENCEVILLE -- The Gwinnett County Fire Department was forced to activate its emergency operations plan in response to an onslaught of calls during Thursday night's storms, responding to a total of 123 incidents between 5 and 8 p.m.

Among others, emergency crews received 45 reports of live wires down, 14 vehicle accidents and 13 woods fires, Fire Department spokesman Capt. Tommy Rutledge said.

Firefighters also responded to a home on the 5300 block of Candleberry Drive in Lilburn, finding flames showing from the attic of the two-story home on arrival, Rutledge said.

The blaze, later confirmed to have been caused by a lightning strike to the attic, caused extensive damage to the roof and back side of the house, Rutledge said.

No injuries were reported.

Emergency personnel also dealt with trees on the roofs of homes on Periwinkle Drive and Gaelic Way in Snellville and Beaver Ruin Road in Norcross, Rutledge said.