(Fox 5 Atlanta)
Five people were killed in a house fire early Sunday in suburban Atlanta, officials said.
Gwinnett County Fire Officials told Fox 5 Atlanta that the home Duluth, Georgia was completely engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on the scene.
"It was so bad firefighters couldn't go inside the home. They initially had to fight the fire from outside," Captain Tommy Rutledge, Gwinnett County Fire Public Information Officer told Fox 5.
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Rutledge said the flames were so intense that firefighters had to battle the blaze from the outside for about 45 minutes before they were able to get inside.
Investigators are still trying to determine what started the fire, but neighbors reported that the family had been using their fire pit on Saturday night.
"I heard them talking about doing a bonfire Saturday night since it was getting cold out," neighbor Jessica Fields told Fox 5.
Officials said the blaze appeared to have originated in the area of the back deck, and are unable to rule out the fire pit as a potential cause.
“This tragic fire serves as an important reminder to make sure that your home and family are safe from fire,” Rutledge told Fox 5.
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