Intense Fire Strikes Buford Dam Store

A late night fire caused extensive damage at a popular bait-and-tackle store near Lake Lanier in Buford.

A fire at the Dam Store, located at 1250 Buford Dam Road, damaged the residential portion of the business, displacing the family (two adults, four children) of the business operator. The store only sustained “residual damage,” according to Gwinnett Fire.

No injuries were reported.

"We are fortunate that everyone was able to escape unharmed, especially given the intensity of the fire on arrival," Gwinnett Fire Captain Tommy Rutledge said in an emailed media alert.

Firefighters found the two-story portion of the building engulfed in flames just after midnight Wednesday morning, Aug. 28. A nearby boat was also on fire.

Rutledge said the roof collapsed over the two-story portion of the building, but firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to the retail portion. The fire was brought under control at 12:40 a.m.

According to the emailed report, the Dam Store has been a local fixture for 60 years. It is a common stop for people on their way to the lake.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.