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Fire is the deadliest in Aurora's history

As investigators seek the root cause of what Aurora officials say appears to be the deadliest fire in city history, a makeshift memorial made up of stuffed animals, religious candles, flowers and six crosses bearing the names of the victims now stands at the site as a reminder of the tragedy.

Six people were killed in the blaze early Sunday morning and 12 people were injured, including a 2-year-old who remained in serious condition Monday evening, according to fire officials.

A teacher at the elementary school two of the victims attended paid her respects at the memorial Monday afternoon, as did dozens of neighbors, residents and customers of the neighboring supermarket.

With two police cars in the driveway of the three-story stucco apartment building, which had 10 units and at least 24 residents, onlookers stood just outside a police caution tape barrier. The burned-out building is two doors down from Bautista Emanuel Church, where clothing donations have overwhelmed it to the point that they are no longer needed.

Those wanting to help are asked to call Old Second National Bank at (630) 892-0202 to donate money to help pay for the families' funeral costs.

“I've never seen anything like that here in Aurora,” said the church's pastor, Victor Mendoza. “We will pray for the people and the people who remain injured and see in what ways we can help them.”

Mendoza said none of the victims attended the church, but the police department asked it to be a staging ground for donations.

Meanwhile, a 14-year-old middle school student from East Aurora School District 131 remains in stable condition at Rush Copley Medical Center, having just lost his parents and two brothers.

School officials confirmed Monday afternoon that kindergarten student Francisco Marcos Jr. and his brother, fourth-grader Jose Marcos, and their parents, Micaela Perez and Francisco Marcos Sr., were among the victims.

Two other victims, an eight-month-old boy and his 43-year-old mother, have not yet been identified, although two crosses bearing their names -- "Alex Gonzaga" and "Chirstiana Domingez" -- were also at the memorial. Autopsies were set to be complete by the Kane County coroner's office Tuesday.

Brady Elementary School music teacher Mary Novak said prayer and thanks for the students' lives would help her deal with the loss of a student.

“I had a warning that something had happened to one of our families,” said Novak, who declined to say which of the children was her student. “It brought me great sadness, great sadness.”

Area residents gathered around the memorial throughout the day. Yadira Estrada said her 9-year-old son heard the news and immediately thought of a friend who used to live at the apartment building.

Estrada said the news hit the tight-knit community hard.

“There are no words. There's no consoling,” she said.

As the community mourns, fire officials released further details of the blaze Monday evening, although a cause has not been found.

The fire started just past 4 a.m. in a first-floor apartment and quickly spread through the hallways and stairwells, which Deputy Chief John Lehman said created a “chimney effect” that intensified the fire and trapped residents on the second and third floors.

Six people were in the first-floor apartment where the blaze started and a 60-year-old man suffered injuries trying to extinguish the fire with a garden hose after dialing 911.

A 13-year-old boy jumped out of a third-floor window while a man and his 2-year-old daughter exited through a third-floor window from the same apartment where the two unidentified victims died.

Meanwhile, the four family members who died were trapped in a third-floor apartment. Fire officials say they received the call at 4:07 a.m. and the fire was completely extinguished by 4:57 a.m.

The school district dispatched grief counselors and social workers Monday to help grieving students affected by the deaths. Spokesman Clayton Muhammad also said the district must do all it can to support the 14-year-old.

“We are going to be there for him,” he said. “We are being supportive in any way we can.”

Muhammad said the deaths rocked the community and that the district had sent counselors to many of its 13 elementary schools.

Brady Elementary School is about two blocks from the site of the fire.

“A number of students lived in that apartment,” he said. “Whether they go to school with them or not, they will be affected.”

Muhammad said the school district needs to respond to the tragedy.

“It affects you instantly,” he said. “Even before we knew of the deaths, the fire saddens you in and of itself. To watch the results of the fire, the residual effects, the death, the displacement. Another part of you knows that you must step up. It is up to us to be the voice of reason and support for these families.”

As for the rest of the displaced families, who have been relocated throughout the region with the help of the American Red Cross, Novak, the Brady music teacher, had a simple message.

“The community is here for them.”

  A memorial of six crosses have been placed in Aurora where six people died on Sunday in an apartment fire. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com