A house on Chatham Crest Lane in Buford was destroyed by fire early Friday morning, according to Gwinnett County Fire Department officials.
Fire crews arrived at the scene around 4:20 a.m. and found a man and his wife and their small do had escaped the burning home; they were not injured.
Firefighters said windy conditions caused the flames to spread rapidly through the two-story wood frame house, and because the roof partially collapsed, they had to fight the fire from outside.
Investigators said the residents of the home told them they were awakened by a loud popping noise and they found the back of the house on fire. It appears the origin of the fire was on the back deck.
The American Red Cross is assisting the residents, since the home is considered a total loss.
