Retail, Shopping Mall Duluth, GA – Sprinkler system saves strip mall from damage in fire; No injuries October 17, 2015 viking210 A small fire at a strip shopping center undergoing construction in Duluth caused minimal damage Wednesday afternoon, thanks to an automatic sprinkler system. Firefighters responded around 4:48 p.m. to a report of a fire at the shopping center in the 3940 block of Buford Highway, according to Capt. Tommy Rutledge, public information officer for the Gwinnett County fire department. Crews arrived to find light smoke and the sprinkler system activated. They discovered a small fire in an unoccupied store suite that was had already been extinguished by the sprinklers. The fire caused minimal damage, as the suite was vacant at the time and no contents were involved. The fire appears accidental and was sparked by a floor compound during construction work. There were no injuries reported and no damage to the structure, Rutledge said.
