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Child playing with matches sparks Aurora condo fire

Between 25 and 30 residents of an Aurora condominium complex were displaced Sunday afternoon when a fire sparked by an 11-year-old playing with matches damaged their units, authorities said Monday.

The fire began about 4:30 p.m. on the 1400 block of McClure Road, and it drew 30 Aurora firefighters to extinguish what they categorized as a two-alarm blaze, Lt. Craig Mateski said.

Eight of the 16 units in the building were damaged — two by the fire and six others by smoke and water, Mateski said. The fire began in an upstairs balcony of the two-story building as a child played with matches, he said.

Firefighters left the scene about 8 p.m. Sunday and the displaced residents were assisted by city of Aurora victim services and the Red Cross.

Mateski said no residents or firefighters were injured in the fire, which caused about $500,000 in damage to the building.

Aurora firefighters vent the roof of a condominium building on the 1400 block of McClure Road, where an 11-year-old playing with matches about 4:30 p.m. Sunday sparked a fire that caused $500,000 in damage and displaced between 25 and 30 people. Courtesy of Steve Becker
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